Egypt and Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah is the highest paid African footballer according to a list released by American business magazine, Forbes.
Salah’s total earnings are estimated to be $37 million comprising of his $24 million salary and an additional $13 million in endorsements.
Salah joined Liverpool from Italian club AS Roma and went on to establish himself as one of the club’s most influential players. He has won the Premier League, UEFA Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup. Personally, he has won the Premier League Golden Boot twice (sharing it once) and was named Premier League Player of the Season in 2017/2018.
Salah scored a hat-trick in Liverpool’s 4-3 win against Leeds United on the opening day of the season.
Salah is a prolific player on the pitch but he is also renowned for his charity work particularly in his native Egypt.
Salah’s foundation has helped at least 450 families in his home village of Basyoun financially by giving them a monthly allowance.
He has donated money to various causes such as helping former footballers and even one time to the government when it was facing an economic difficulties in 2019. Salah’s charity, however, is not just limited to money.
The Egyptian only trailed Lionel Messi of Argentina, Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, Neymar of Brazil and Kylian Mbappe of France in the list.
Messi topped the list with earnings of $126 million closely followed by Ronaldo with $117 million. Further back in third is Neymar on $96 million and then Mbappe on $42 million.
After Salah, the top 10 was rounded off by French duo Paul Pogba ($34 million) and Antoine Griezmann ($33 million), Welshman Gareth Bale ($29 million), Poland’s Robert Lewandowski ($28 million) and Spaniard David De Gea ($27 million).
Forbes said it spoke with clubs, players’ agents, commercial sponsors and soccer experts in the United States and Europe to come up with the list.
It added that the earnings, which are pre-tax, include football salaries for the 2020/2021 season, bonuses and endorsements.
