Messi highest-paid footballer in 2020; joins Floyd, Woods and Ronaldo in an exclusive list

Lionel Messi is ending the 2020 as the highest-paid footballer ahead of his rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Argentine, according to the Forbes, is said to be set to pocket £98million in total this year from his salary and endorsements pre-tax.

While Cristiano Ronaldo is said to earn £91m this year on his salary and endorsements.

Lionel Messi also joined an exclusive list after hitting the $1,000,000,000 mark on money made from both endorsements and salary over the years.

He is just the second footballer ever to hit the $1B earnings mark while he is just the fourth athletes ever after the likes of Floyd Mayweather, Tiger Woods, and Cristiano Ronaldo.

The top 10 highest-paid footballer

1. Lionel Messi £98m
2. Cristiano Ronaldo £91m
3. Neymar Jr. £75m
4. Kylian Mbappe 33m
5. Mo Salah £29m
6. Paul Pogba £26.4m
7. Antoine Griezmann £25.6m
8. Gareth Bale 22.5
9. Robert Lewandowski 21.7
10. David de Gea £21m