Football is a money-spinning industry with huge turnovers and strickenly rich figures guiding its affairs and the Saudi Pro League definitely is one league well renowned for its financial strength in recent years.
The league is known for splashing the cash in acquiring notable players, as they continue what has been termed a “revolution”
One of the greatest footballers ever Cristiano Ronaldo, plies his trade in the league and he is also one of the highest-earning footballers playing in the country.
Neymar, Kante, Mane, and other global football stars currently exude their qualities in the country and it will be fascinating to see where they are on the list of highest-earning players in the Saudi Pro League.
10) Aymeric Laporte
The Spaniard, who plays for Al Nassr earns €24.5 million annually. Laporte moved to the Pro League club from Manchester City in the summer of 2023 for a fee of €27.5 million.
Laporte, who has been linked with a possible move to Athletico Bilbao has made 39 appearances for Al Nassr, scoring 4 goals and providing 1 assist.
9) N’golo Kante
Kante earns €25 million and he plays for Al Ittihad, having left Chelsea on a free transfer in the summer of 2023.
N’golo Kante has made 44 appearances for the Pro League giants, scoring 4 goals and providing 6 assists.
8) Sergej Milinković-Savić
Milinkovic-Savic earns the same amount as Kante, €25 million annually, and he joined Al Hilal from Lazio in the summer of 2023 for a fee of €40 million.
Sergej Milinković-Savić has made 44 appearances for Al Hilal, scoring 12 goals and providing 17 assists in all competitions, definitely, his club are receiving profit over their investment, given his performances.
7) Aleksandar Mitrovic
The Serbian earns €25 million per annum at Al Hilal, an equal sum as teammate Milinkovic-Savic.
Aleksandar Mitrovic joined Saudi Arabian giants Al Hilal from Fulham in the summer of 2023 for a fee of €52.6 million.
Mitrovic netted a staggering 40 goals in 43 appearances for Al Hilal last season, helping them win several major honors including the Saudi Pro League title.
6) Kalidou Koulibaly
Kalidou Koulibaly moved to Al Hilal from Chelsea in the summer of 2023 for a fee of €23 million.
Koulibaly pockets €34.7 million per year and he has made 44 appearances for the Blue Waves, scoring 2 goals and providing 1 assist in all competitions.
5) Sadio Mane
Mane takes home €40 million per annum and he joined Al Nassr from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023 for a fee of €30 million
Sadio Mane made 46 appearances for the Knights of Najd last season, scoring 19 goals and providing 11 assists.
He plays alongside Portuguese great Cristiano Ronaldo and Croatian midfielder Marcelo Brozovic amongst others.
4) Riyad Mahrez
Mahrez plays for Al-Ahli and the Algerian joined the club from English giants Manchester City in the summer of 2023 for a fee of €35 million.
Riyad Mahrez’s annual salary is €52.5 million and he has made 33 appearances for Al Ahli, scoring 12 goals and providing 14 assists in all competitions.
3) Neymar
The Brazilian icon is the most expensive signing in the history of the Saudi Pro League, having joined Al Hilal in the summer of 2023 for a fee of €90 million.
Injury hampered Neymar’s first season in Saudi Arabia, but he is keen on getting back to his best ahead of the 2024/25 season.
Neymar earns €100 million annually at Al Hilal and he has made 5 appearances for the club, scoring 1 goal and providing 1 assist.
2) Karim Benzema
Benzema joined Al Ittihad on a free transfer in the summer of 2023, following the expiration of his contract with Real Madrid.
Karim Benzema is paid a huge sum of €100 million annually, and he has made 29 appearances for Al Ittihad, scoring 13 goals and providing 8 assists across all competitions.
1) Cristiano Ronaldo
Now to the king of the jungle, Ronaldo receives an astronomical sum, twice the amount Neymar and Benzema earn.
Cristiano Ronaldo earns €200 million per year and certainly, the Saudi Pro League have been milking his presence in the division.
Visibility, traction, player acquisition, and the arrival of Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia have been felt massively.
The 37-year-old moved to Al Nassr in January 2023 and he has scored 58 goals and provided 15 assists in 64 appearances for the club across all competitions.
List Of Top 10 Earners In The Saudi Pro League
1) Cristiano Ronaldo – €200 million
2) Karim Benzema – €100 million
3) Neymar Jr – €100 million
4) Riyad Mahrez – €52.5 million
5) Sadio Mane – €40 million
6) Kalidou Koulibaly – €34.7 million
7) Aleksandar Mitrovic – €25 million
8) Sergej Milinkovic-Savic – €25 million
9) N’golo Kante – €25 million
10) Aymeric Laporte – €24.5 million
This report is based on data from Capology, a top football website that provides comprehensive data on player salaries and club financial statements.
