Liga BBVA, commonly known as La Liga was founded in the year of 1929. In other words, it is officially known as the Primera Division of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional (LFP). It has been the strongest league in Europe for the past five years and more (with respect to UEFA’s League coefficient system). Twenty teams are permitted to participate in this division. The lowest three teams are selected to be relegated at the end of the season. La Liga is considered as the second most watched football league in the world after Barclays Premier League (English Premier League).
This particular premier division has always been lauded for its technique visibly nonexistent physicality and flair. La Liga has also been criticized for its predictability and a two horse race competition. Real Madrid and Barcelona, this two teams have won the Spanish first division in the past nine years. But hopefully the equations of Liga champions may be changing in Spain due to the rise of a certain Atletico Madrid last season.
La Liga has always produced some fine footballers. Guardiola and Romário in the 90’s, Zidane – Beckham and Ronaldinho in the 2000’s and at present times amazing football superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Neymar, Iniesta and Gareth Bale are playing right here in La Liga.
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And as always, quality players mean quality salaries for those brilliant individuals. There are uncountable highly paid soccer players playing in La Liga every season.
Top 10 highest paid footballers in La Liga:
Let’s take a look at the top 10 highest paid footballers in La Liga. Mostly highest paid footballers in La Liga are found within the two horses, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid.
10. Xavi Hernandez
Present Club: FC Barcelona
Position: central midfielder
Earnings: $9.36 million per year
Xavi Hernandez, known as the master of passes, plays for the Spanish national team and FC Barcelona. He joined through the youth ranks of La Masia and gradually taken to the first team of Barcelona. His professional debut came in 1997. He played regularly in Spain’s U17, U18, U20, U21 and U23 football teams. Finally Xavi made it to the senior side in 2000.
Xavi also represented the Catalonia’s national team. He is the 1st player to register assists in 2 separate Euro finals and also the lone goal in the 2008 final. With 2 assists in the final 4 years later. With more than 25 trophies Xavi can be decided the maximum trophy winner among the Spanish players in history.
He created countless goals with genius ball handling while never relinquishing possession technique. Xavi’s abnormally good vision, world-class ball control and pinpoint accurate passing ability allowed him to dictate the flow of football. The assist king, the number 10 highest paid footballer in La Liga currently earns an estimated total wages of €6.9 million ($9.36 million) per year at FC Barcelona.
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9. Marcelo
Present Club: Real Madrid
Position: left back
Earnings: $9.45 million per year
Marcelo Vieira da Silva Júnior, known as Marcelo is often Likened to Brazilian legend Roberto Carlos for his technical ability, fierce shot and good passing. The Brazilian plays for Spanish Capital Club Real Madrid.
Marcelo started playing with Fluminense and was sold to Real Madrid in January 2007. He is also praised for representing Brazil in different youth levels: U-17, U-20 and U-23. He made it to the senior side in 2006.
Marcelo can be considered as another perfect example of a traditional Brazilian left-back with great offensive play ability. He has outstanding dribbling skills and tricks. The Real Madrid Star, commonly known as the opponent’s terror is right now the 9th of the top 10 highest paid footballers in La Liga. He earns an estimated total wages of €6.98 million ($9.45 million) per year at Real Madrid.
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8. Dani Alves
Present Club: FC Barcelona
Position: right back
Earnings: $9.5 million per year
Another Brazilian defender, Daniel Alves plays for FC Barcelona and loves to attack. He also plays for the Brazilian National team.
Alves started his professional career at Esporte Clube Bahia. He was moved to Sevilla in 2002, primarily on a temporary basis and then permanently. He stayed six years at the club and then joined FC Barcelona in the summer of 2008 for €32.5 million transfer fee.
The Brazilian superstar made his international debut in 2006. Probably his favorite hobby is to torment opposition’s left flank with his right winger. As being a regular member of Barcelona’s starting XI, Dani Alves currently earns around €7 million ($9.5 million) per year at Barcelona. Another defender at the top 10 highest paid footballers in La Liga.
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7. Karim Benzema
Present Club: Real Madrid
Position: striker
Earnings: $9.6 million per year
One of the “BBC” attack of Real Madrid, Karim Mostafa Benzema is a French footballer who plays as a striker. The former French youth international has also represented his nation from under-17 level onwards. The under-17 team won the 2004 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship. Karim Benzema made his senior international debut in March 2007.
He has earned over 65 caps and represented France at three major international tournaments. The French international shows tremendous intelligence and foresight to make runs off the ball. He is not just a box poacher. And he is not even necessarily expecting to receive possession but purposely creating spaces for his wide forwards to exploit centrally.
Benzema has proven himself to be a key figure in front of the goal. He has already scored 17 times in La Liga and also nine notable assists. Now a time there are not many “pure” forwards in the league who can match Benzema’s rate of 1.8 key passes per game. Probably this the indication of his being 7th at the top 10 highest paid footballers in La Liga 2016. He has an estimated earnings of $9.6 million per year from Real Madrid.
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6. Andres Iniesta
Present Club: FC Barcelona
Position: central midfielder
Earnings: $9.8 million per year
Andrés Iniesta Luján, commonly known as Andres Iniesta is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Spanish club FC Barcelona and the Spain national team as a central midfielder.
He is another player who came through La Masia (Barcelona Youth Academy) after an early emigration from his birthplace. Iniesta made his debut in 2002 at the age of 18. Very soon he became an integral part of the Barcelona side in 2009 and probably that was the only time a club has achieved six titles in one season.
Iniesta showed his very best form in big games, ever since he joined the Catalan’s side. On the ball, there are few players in world football (never mind in La Liga) who can match Iniesta’s ability to beat defenders in restricted territory. Undoubtedly he is one of the greatest midfielders of his generation, Andres Iniesta is considered the sixth of the top 10 highest paid footballers in La Liga. His estimated wages are around $9.8 million per year from FC Barcelona.
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5. Neymar
Present Club: FC Barcelona
Position: forward / winger
Earnings: $10 million per year
Neymar is an electric and explosive player of the present generation. He plays for Spanish side FC Barcelona and the Brazilian national team.
He started his professional career joining Santos youth academy in 2003 and rose through the ranks to the first team. He made his professional debut in 2009. Neymar also represented Brazil in U17, U20 and U23 levels and made his senior National Team debut in 2010. Now a days he is seen representing the Brazil National Team.
FC Barcelona paid €57 million to sign him in the summer of 2013. Neymar is quite a complete package of dribbling, acceleration, finishing and the ability to use both feet. He has easily become an important member of FC Barcelona. The number 5 of the top 10 highest paid footballers in La Liga currently earns an estimated wages of $10 million per year from Barcelona.
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4. Iker Casillas
Present Club: Real Madrid
Position: goalkeeper
Earnings: $10.17 million per year
Iker Casillas plays for and captains both La Liga club Real Madrid and the Spanish national team. He can be undoubtedly considered as one of the finest goalkeepers of all time.
Casillas joined Real Madrid at youth level. And then gradually he made his debut in 1998-99. He had always been the first choice keeper until the January arrival of Diego last year. Iker Casillas also represented Spain at U15, U16, U17, U18, U20 and U21 levels.
The most capped player of all time for the Spanish national team, Casillas made his senior debut in 2000. He captained the Spanish national team to two Euro Cups and a World Cup. Despite not being regular for both the Champions league and La Liga, Casillas is still one of the top goalkeepers in world and earns €7.5 million ($10.17 million) per year, which in turn makes him the 4th of the top 10 highest paid footballers in La Liga. And the only goalkeeper for the highest paid soccer players list.
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3. Lionel Messi
Present Club: FC Barcelona
Position: forward
Earnings: $21.7 million per year
What more is there to say about a four-time Ballon d’Or winner? Lionel Messi is arguably the best player in the world, who plays for FC Barcelona and is skipper of the Argentina national team. He is also another player from Barca’s youth academy La Masia. He joined as a young player from Newell’s Old Boys.
After rising through the ranks, Messi became an inevitable part of Barcelona first team. Messi had represented Argentina in U20 and U23 action and made his senior debut in 2005. He also represented the Argentina National Team in the FIFA World Cup 2014 Brazil.
Intially a left winger, Messi was moved to right wing by then Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard. As he needed to cut in and finish using his left foot. This turned out to be a very effective move as his goal tally increased tremendously. And then Pep Guardiola gave him a free role, namely ‘false 9’.
The total Barcelona team is built around him. The record breaking and history making footballer of this age, Lionel Messi currently earns an estimated wages of €16 million ($21.7 million) a year from the Catalan club. Right now he is at the 2nd position of the list of top 10 highest paid footballers in La Liga.
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2. Gareth Bale
Present Club: Real Madrid
Position: winger
Earnings: $25.7 million per year
Gareth Bale is one of the most expensive footballers in history. The Welsh International plays for the Spanish Capital Club Real Madrid. Bale started as a regular of Wales’ U17, U19 and U21 sides. He made it onto the national team in 2006.
After starting out his professional career at Southampton in 2006, he was signed in Tottenham Hotspur for an eventual £7 million in 2007. Though starting as a left back, Bale was moved further forward to utilize his speed and crossing ability. After a prolific scoring season in 2012-13, Gareth Bale got his dream move to Real Madrid with €100 million record transfer fees.
A footballer with tremendous speed, exceptional physical qualities and with a great left foot, Bale is making £15.6 million ($25.7 million) per year at Real Madrid. He is considered as the 2nd highest paid footballer in Liga BBVA.
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1. Cristiano Ronaldo
Present Club: Real Madrid
Position: forward
Earnings: $28.5 million per year
One of the most prolific goal scorers of his generation, Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo plays for Spanish giants Real Madrid and captains the Portuguese national team.
Ronaldo Started out his career as a youth player with Andorinha and joining C.D. Nacional. Afterwards he stepped onto his professional career at Sporting Club de Portugal. The English powerhouse Manchester United signed him for €15 million in the year 2003. Finally, Real Madrid made him the most expensive footballer in history at that time when they bought him for €94 million in summer of 2009.
Cristiano Ronaldo has represented Portugal at U17, U20, U21, U23 and senior levels. After the national team debut in 2003, Cristiano captained Portugal National Team since July, 2008. Unbelievable but true that he scores more than a goal per game for his current club. He is also the top goal scorer of his country.
Lauded for his finishing, pace, dribbling, positioning and his passing and crossing ability, Ronaldo can be proclaimed as the Commander In Chief at Real Madrid. Currently Cristiano receives around €21 million ($28.5 million) salary per year from Real Madrid. Undoubtedly he is the highest paid footballer in La Liga for the year 2015-2016..
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Comment: i wil always love messi still i wil die in playing nd he wil colect ten world best.
suarez nd neymar help messi,ronaldo is d best
the king of footballer best player in the world CR7
Comment:Why Bale is earning money than Messi?
Comment:MESSI IS D BEST
Comment:Messi is d best amazing player that i av never see but d income that he was earning is too small ..
Thx so lot for shared.
I thinking MESSI don’t leave FC too i crying.
C…..ronaldo the beast in d would
Messi is what we want (MIWWW) for short
CR7 fly high
Thank you for your advice.
always cr 7 la
Messi plays what he knows Ronaldo plays to beat messi
Any way thy are making money
Rinaldo is always # 1. Bravo my star
is amazing, they are making money
he worth being that!
PLEASE MESSI DON’T LEAVE FC BARCELONA BECAUSE YOU MAY LOSE FUN
I always thought that messi was the leading the most paid players
but his not though his third
lol,no ronaldo is the highest paid player in laliga
yea