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Which players at the Club World Cup command the biggest fees?
As the revamped 2025 FIFA Club World Cup kicks off with a blockbuster 32-team format and a staggering $1 billion prize pot, the spotlight is not just on silverware; it’s also on money.
While Inter Miami is a long shot to win the tournament, Lionel Messi is leading the financial front and topping the list of the highest-paid players set to feature.
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The 37-year-old icon earned an eye-watering $135 million over the past year, surpassing global stars like Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane.
The highest-paid athlete in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo, who pulled in $275 million last year, almost as much as the entire top five at the Club World Cup ($381 million), did not qualify.
Together, these five elite stars have raked in almost half a billion dollars, but how did they rank?
5. Harry Kane – $39 million
For years, Harry Kane was the poster boy for brilliant strikers who couldn’t quite seal the deal with silverware. But all of that changed when Kane made the bold, calculated decision to leave his boyhood club, Tottenham Hotspur, and join German giants Bayern Munich in 2023.
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At 30, some saw it as a late gamble, but the move finally delivered what years of loyalty in North London couldn’t: a major trophy. In his second season with Bayern, Kane played a pivotal role in securing the Bundesliga title, cementing his place among football’s most decorated forwards.
On the field, Kane continues to be a model of elite consistency. With 366 club goals and 73 for England, his stats place him comfortably in the company of the all-time greats.
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Financially, he earned $29 million in salary and bonuses this year alone. Off the field, while he may not carry the same commercial flash as some of his contemporaries, Kane still managed to secure $10 million in endorsements.
As the face of Skechers’ new football division and a figure admired for his humility and leadership, Kane’s value keeps climbing, both in the market and in the eyes of fans.
4. Vinicius Jr. – $55 million
Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr. has come a long way from his early days at Flamengo, where he burst onto the scene as a precocious teenager with a dizzying skill set and electric pace.
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Fast forward to today, and Vinicius has established himself not only as one of the most exciting players in world football but also as a cornerstone of Real Madrid’s recent success.
At just 24, he's scored 20+ goals in all competitions for the fourth consecutive season during the 2024/25 campaign, dazzling fans with his signature flair and an ever-improving eye for goal.
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Off the pitch, his star continues to rise. With a growing commercial empire backed by global giants like Pepsi, Gatorade, and the Dubai Tourism Board, Vinicius earned $15 million through endorsements alone.
Add that to his reported $40 million earnings at Real Madrid in the last year, and he earns his spot as one of the highest-paid players at the Club World Cup, as well as one of the highest-paid athletes in the world.
3. Erling Haaland – $62 million
Erling Haaland may have experienced a slight drop in his goal-scoring tally this season, but his value, both on and off the pitch, continues to climb at a staggering pace.
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The towering Norwegian forward, who previously dominated back-to-back Premier League campaigns with Golden Boot-winning totals, found himself beaten to the punch by Mohamed Salah in 2024–25.
Still, that has not dented his standing as Manchester City’s primary goal machine and the highest-paid player in the Premier League.
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The Norwegian star inked a jaw-dropping nine-and-a-half-year contract extension with Manchester City, which makes him one of the longest-committed players in modern football, tying him to the Etihad until 2034 and worth $48 million annually.
Off the pitch, Haaland earned $14 million from sponsorships with global giants like Nike, Clear, and Beats by Dre.
2. Kylian Mbappe – $90 million
After years of speculation, contract tug-of-wars, and dramatic deadline-day sagas, Kylian Mbappe finally left Paris Saint-Germain behind and stepped into the Bernabeu spotlight with the weight of global expectations on his shoulders.
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Forty-two goals later, and Mbappe has become the heartbeat of Madrid’s attack. Although the club fell short in La Liga and crashed out in the Champions League quarter-finals, his performances still earned him a big payday
The France captain made $70 million in on-field earnings, but his impact also went beyond goals and trophies. Off the pitch, Mbappe has also become one of the sport’s most bankable faces, pulling in $20 million from endorsements with global brands like Nike, Hublot, and Oakley.
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Add to that his social media influence, international stardom, and philanthropic efforts, and you have a player who is building a legacy as much off the field as on it.
1. Lionel Messi – $135 million
With more trophies to his name than any other player in football history, Lionel Messi is a living monument to the game. But even as he approaches the twilight of his playing days at 37, the Messi brand continues to burn hotter than ever.
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Since arriving at Inter Miami, Messi has caused a sharp increase in the value and visibility of the MLS, which has also impacted his earnings. Inter Miami’s valuation has ballooned to $1.2 billion since Messi’s signing, placing it second in MLS, and much of that surge can be traced directly to the “Messi effect.”
Off the pitch, Messi remains a commercial juggernaut, with $75 million in off-field earnings coming from heavyweight partnerships with Adidas, Lay’s, Mastercard, and more.
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He is also tied into the MLS’s streaming partnership with Apple TV, where league-wide revenue sharing sweetens his already lucrative deal. Meanwhile, his playing contract still commands $60 million annually, ensuring that his on-field excellence remains well compensated.
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