r/HullCity

As the most popular sport in the world, you have to expect that players are now getting paid phenomenal amounts and even being tempted away by some of the money floating around the Middle East. It's always been great for the players at the top, but now more than ever they are commanding the highest salaries. So who is winning the battle of negotiation and maximizing their career earning potential? It's definitely not always about the money and some players stay loyal yet are still handsomely rewarded. If you like playing the occasional bet then definitely check out the odds on offer at

15) Erling Haaland - Manchester City - £19.5 million per year (approx. €22.7 million)

He has performed well after signing this contract and has scored 25 goals in his first 19 appearances for the Premier league club.

14) Kevin De Bruyne - Manchester City - £20.8 million per year (approx. €24.2 million)

One of the best players in the world right now, he renewed his contract in 2021 and is locked in until 2025.

13) Toni Kroos - Real Madrid - £20.9 million per year (approx. €24.3 million)

He's a stunning midfielder and his contract is ending this season, I wonder which team will put in the offer to snatch him away.

12) N'Golo Kante - Al Ittihad - £21 million per year (approx. €24.4 million)

First signed with Leicester City in 2016, he has had an epic trajectory since then, including a World Cup win with France in 2018.

11) Harry Kane - Bayern Munich - £21 million per year (approx. €24.4 million)

Was Tottenham's record goalscorer and departed to Germany in 2023 where he is playing hard.

10) Kalidou Koulibaly - Al Hilal - £30 million per year (approx. €34.9 million)

Another one snagged by Saudi Araibia, he left Chelsea in 2023 and was in Naples for 8 years before that.

9) Oscar - Shanghai SIPG - £30 million per year (approx. €34.9 million)

He moved over to China in 2016 during the peak of his career, however he's earned an estimated 3 times his salary compared to his previous club.

8) Jordan Henderson - Al Ettifaq - £34 million per year (approx. €39.6 million)

He now stands as the highest paid English footballer in history after moving to Saudi Arabia.

7) Sadio Mané - Al Nassr - £35 million per year (approx. €40.7 million)

Making his way from a small Premier League Club, to a giant and winning every trophy along the way.

6) Riyad Mahrez - Al Ahli - £45 million per year (approx. €52.4 million)

Helped Leicester City during their incredible 2016 Premier League reign and then headed to Manchester City.

5) Lionel Messi - Inter Miami - £55 million per year (approx. €64 million)

One of the legends of the game, he took a paycut from his PSG deal and headed to the MLS, playing for Inter Miami instead of heading to the Saudi league.

4) Kylian Mbappe - PSG - £62 million per year (approx. €72.2 million)

PSG got displaced by Saudi clubs in being the biggest spenders in the world, however Mbappe was able to secure a premium deal when his contract was due.

3) Karim Benzema - Al-Ittihad - £85 million per year (approx. €99 million)

Some say he was a top player always in the shadow of Ronaldo, however they have both performed exceeding well and it's paid off handsomely for them.

2) Neymar Jr - Al Hilal - £86 million per year (approx. €100.1 million)

This is ignoring his commercial income which would add a chunk on top, his Saudi experience includes a fleet of supercars, private jet and huge mansion to accommodate his party lifestyle.

1) Cristiano Ronaldo - Al Nassr - £173 million per year (approx. €201.5 million)

His career has spanned 20 years and he's the first man to score in five world cups. His last experience at Man United was as the highest paid player in the history of the Premier League, however it ended rather unceremoniously and he moved on to Saudi Arabia.

Who do you think will be making an appearance on the list by next year?

As the Euros begin, what better time to cast an eye back over previous tournaments and see what has been achieved in the past. The Euros brings together some of the finest players on the planet who are competing to go down in the history books with their top performances on behalf of the country. It can mean more to many player to give their best at this level than a regular season game. Few make it on to the elite squads that compete, so let's take a look at the best performances.

Longest Unbeaten Run

This one goes to Spain who were able to compete back to back wins between 2008 and 2016. In that time they were also able to complete 14 wins without a single defeat. They were utterly dominating the game with skilled passing and keeping possession.

Most Appearances by a Player

The legend that is Cristiano Ronaldo holds this admirable ranking, as he has played 25 matches across five separate tournaments between 2004 and 2020 - which demonstrates his excellent staying power and immense talent. In 2016 he led Portugal to their first European Championship victory.

Fastest Goal in Euros History

It took Dmitri Kirichenko, playing for Russia, just 67 seconds seconds to put a goal away when they played a match against Greece in the 2004 Euros. Edit: This was beaten just yesterday by Nedim Bajrami who scored in just 23 seconds!

Most Titles Won by a Team

Germany and Spain are tied for this record with 3 victories each. They have shown consistent skill over the years with Germany's victories coming in 1972, 1980 and 1996. Spain won in 1964, 2008 and 2012.

Top Scorer in a Single Tournament

This was pulled off by Michel Platini who holds the record of 9 goals during the 1984 event, which happened in only 5 games - averaging nearly 2 goals per game.

Youngest Player to Score

At the age of 18 Switzerland's Johan Vonlanthen was able to score a goal against France during the 2004 Euros.

Do you know of any other cool and interesting bits of trivia to share on the Euros?

Have a look at if you're watching the Euros at the moment