Messi’s amazing €25,000 a minute

Lionel Messi has overtaken Cristiano Ronaldo as the highest earner in world football while Jose Mourinho tops the managers’ chart, according to France Football magazine.

The Barcelona attacker is a long way ahead in the figures for this season, pulling in €126m in salary, bonuses and commercial revenue while his Real Madrid rival is making €94m.

Last season Ronaldo led with €87.5m with Messi on €76.5m.

That works out at €25,000 a minute pitch time this season for Messi in La Liga, the Champions League, Spanish Cup and Supercup and four games for Argentina and assuming that he plays in Barcelona’s five remaining games.

The two players, who have split the last 10 Ballons d’Or, are followed by Paris Saint-Germain’s Brazilian star Neymar on €81.5m in the calculations published by France Football.

There is a big gap to Ronaldo’s Real teammate Gareth Bale on €44m and Barca defender Gerard Pique on €29m.

Among coaches, Manchester United’s Mourinho remains the biggest earner with €26m.

Next comes China national team boss Marcello Lippi on €23m, followed by Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid, Zinedine Zidane, who has won the past two Champions League titles at Real Madrid and Pep Guardiola, who has just led Manchester City to the English Premier League title.

Top five player earners (gross wages, bonuses and commercial revenue in the 2017-2018 season):

1 Lionel Messi (ARG/Barcelona) €126m, 2 Cristiano Ronaldo (POR/ Real Madrid) €94m, 3 Neymar (BRA/Paris Saint-Germain) €81m, Gareth Bale (WAL/Real Madrid) €44m, 5 Gerard Pique (ESP/Barcelona) €29m.

Top five coaches (gross wages, bonuses and commercial revenue in the 2017-2018 season):

1 Jose Mourinho (POR/Manchester United) €26m, 2 Marcello Lippi (ITA/China) €23m, 3 Diego Simeone (ARG/Atletico Madrid) €22m, 4 Zinedine Zidane (FRA/Real Madrid) €21m, 5 Pep Guardiola (ESP/Manchester City) €20m.