Record Breakers: The 10 Biggest Contracts in Football History

Money is a major driving force in modern elite football, often tempting players to leave clubs they've loyally served for years in pursuit of lucrative opportunities across the globe. Naturally, some of the world's top talents command the highest wages, with stars like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo earning massive sums following their moves to Inter Miami in the MLS and Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.

However, it's not just clubs outside Europe that offer hefty paychecks. Manchester City compensates their star striker Erling Haaland generously for his Premier League performances, while Neymar enjoyed an enormous salary during his time at Ligue 1's Paris Saint-Germain. With that in mind, let's take a look at the biggest contracts ever handed out in football history.

10. Lionel Messi: Inter Miami

Contract length: 2023-2025

Lionel Messi's arrival in the United States marked a new chapter in his illustrious career. Leaving behind a storied legacy at Barcelona, the 2022 World Cup winner joined David Beckham's Inter Miami to cap off his time in professional football.

Messi's impact was immediate, as he led Inter Miami to its first-ever trophy in the 2023 Leagues Cup. However, injuries and fatigue soon caught up with the then-36-year-old, causing him to miss crucial games, which ultimately cost his new club a post-season triumph. Despite these challenges, Messi's brilliance on the pitch was undeniable—though it came at a significant cost.

According to the 2024 MLS salary guide, Messi's salary surpasses the guaranteed compensation totals of 25 different MLS teams combined. His two-and-a-half-year contract includes a base salary of $12 million (£9 million) and a guaranteed compensation of just over $20.4 million (£15.6 million).

9. Erling Haaland: Manchester City

Contract length: 2022-2027

In the summer of 2022, Manchester City made headlines by securing the signing of Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund on a five-year deal worth £51 million. Factoring in agent fees and other add-ons, the total cost to City could rise to £85.5 million, setting the stage for the acquisition of one of football's most formidable talents.

Haaland's contract reflects his elite status, with a weekly base salary of £375,000, supplemented by a £475,000 bonus. This brings his annual earnings to a staggering £44.2 million. While some might question the astronomical figures, others see it as the necessary price for securing a player of Haaland's caliber.

As Haaland continues to dominate, chasing a third consecutive Golden Boot, his value only seems to rise. His contract, which extends until 2027, includes a hefty release clause of £173 million, underscoring his immense worth in the football world.

8. Riyad Mahrez: Al-Ahli

Contract length: 2023-2027

Another standout player from Manchester City, Riyad Mahrez, slightly surpasses the teammate with whom he shared three goal involvements across 37 games for the Cityzens. Mahrez became one of the prominent names to join the Saudi Pro League, making the switch to Al-Ahli after five years and five Premier League titles under Pep Guardiola.

Al-Ahli secured Mahrez's services in a deal reportedly worth up to £30 million. His move was part of a significant exodus of top talent to Saudi Arabia, following the likes of Karim Benzema, N'Golo Kante, and Ruben Neves after Cristiano Ronaldo’s high-profile transfer. Mahrez's contract, which runs until 2027, sees him earning just over £850,000 per week (£854,985), amounting to nearly £45 million annually (£44,459,240) for the Algerian national team captain.

7. Neymar: Paris Saint-Germain

Contract length: 2021-2025

Before making his own move to Saudi Arabia in August 2023, Neymar secured a massive contract extension with Paris Saint-Germain that was intended to keep him at the club until 2025. The Brazilian superstar had been with PSG since the 2017-18 season, when he left the shadow of Lionel Messi at Barcelona to take center stage at the Parc des Princes in a world-record £200 million transfer.

Initially earning a staggering weekly wage just under £710,000, Neymar's performances, coupled with PSG's ambitions for Champions League success, prompted the club to offer him a lucrative four-year extension in 2021. This new deal, signed in May of that year, made Neymar the highest earner at the club, with a weekly salary of £923,212 (€1,923,077), elevating his annual earnings to an astonishing £48,002,352, or €100 million.

6. Cristiano Ronaldo: Juventus

Contract length: 2018-2022

Cristiano Ronaldo made headlines in 2018 when he swapped the iconic white of Real Madrid for the black and white stripes of Juventus in a €112 million (£99.2 million) transfer. This move not only stunned the football world but also made Ronaldo the fourth most expensive signing in history at the time.

At 33 years old, the Portuguese legend signed a four-year deal with the reigning Italian champions, after an illustrious nine-year spell at Real Madrid where he secured four Champions League titles. Juventus viewed Ronaldo as the missing piece in their quest for European glory, though they ultimately fell short in the Champions League.

Ronaldo became the first player in this list to earn over a million euros per week, with a contract that paid him €1,104,038 weekly, amounting to €57,410,000 annually (just under £49 million). Despite the significant investment, his time at Juventus yielded two Serie A titles, a Coppa Italia, and two Supercoppa Italiana trophies. However, with European success eluding both player and club, Ronaldo requested a transfer in the final year of his contract, leading to his return to Manchester United in 2021 as Juventus struggled with the financial burden of his wages.

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5. Lionel Messi: Barcelona

Contract length: 2017-2021

During the 2017-18 season, speculation swirled around Lionel Messi’s future at Barcelona, raising concerns about whether the Argentinian superstar would continue his storied career at the Camp Nou. With eight LaLiga titles already under his belt at the time, Messi’s potential departure sent shockwaves through the club and its supporters.

To secure Messi’s loyalty, Barcelona went to extraordinary lengths. In November 2017, Messi signed a new contract that would keep him at the club until 2021, with an option for an additional year. The deal included a staggering €70 million annual salary, translating to roughly £1.2 million per week. Additionally, Messi reportedly received a €100 million (£88.5 million) signing-on bonus, partly as compensation following his conviction for tax fraud.

This colossal financial commitment was emblematic of the unsustainable spending that eventually plunged Barcelona into financial turmoil. By August 2021, the club found itself unable to afford Messi's contract renewal, citing “financial and structural obstacles.” After 17 seasons with the Blaugrana, Messi was forced to leave, ultimately joining Paris Saint-Germain as Barcelona grappled with the financial mess that had built up over the years.

4. Kylian Mbappe: Paris Saint-Germain

Contract length: 2022-2025

In 2022, Paris Saint-Germain demonstrated their financial might once again, this time to retain Kylian Mbappé amid fierce competition from Real Madrid and other top clubs. The French superstar, who had initially planned to let his contract expire at the end of the 2021-22 season, was persuaded to stay at the Parc des Princes, culminating in a monumental two-year contract extension with an option for a third year.

This new deal, reported to be worth around €1.4 million per week, more than doubled his previous salary of €617,000 per week from his 2019-20 contract. With this extension, Mbappé earned a staggering €72 million (£61 million) annually over the last three years. However, as the summer of 2024 approached, he declined the option for an additional year, setting his sights on European glory, with Real Madrid seemingly poised as his next destination.

3. Neymar: Al Hilal

Contract length: 2023-2025

Neymar makes a second appearance on this list with a contract that further underscores the immense financial stakes in modern football. After a career marked by dazzling performances and high-profile moves, the 31-year-old Brazilian, often dubbed the "Prince who never became King," joined Al Hilal in August 2023. The transfer, valued at €90 million (£77.6 million) plus add-ons, reflected his high-profile status.

Though his new deal with Al Hilal is a relatively short two-year term, it comes with an eye-watering salary of £1,637,903 per week, totaling just under £86 million annually. Al Hilal have certainly invested heavily, but the return has been limited so far. Neymar's tenure has been marred by injury, including a serious anterior cruciate ligament rupture sustained during international duty in October 2023, after just five appearances.