Soccer has developed into a multi-billion-dollar business with players in a different position getting paid a different wage from their teammates. Position plays a significant impact in defining a player’s market worth in addition to team performance and individual skill.

Determining which position earns the most money in soccer is a difficult assignment. Historically, goal scorers have received the most attention, but these days, it is the midfielders and defenders who are getting the credit they deserve.

The final wage a player receives is determined by several criteria, including their on-field performance, marketability and the financial health of the league and club they are affiliated with. It is safe to assume that the soccer salary landscape will change along with the development of the sport.

Which soccer position gets paid the best?

Soccer players’ earnings may range from very low to very high depending on their individual talent, experience, marketability and the league they play in. Historically, forwards and other offensive players have been paid more than their defensive counterparts since they are the ones most responsible for a team’s success by scoring goals and creating opportunities for their teammates.

One example is the hefty salaries superstar attackers like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo earn. Of course, factors like club, league and individual contracts might alter which position earns the most in soccer. Goalkeepers, defenders and midfielders may also earn big pay, especially if they are top performers in their positions or play in competitive leagues.

There are many variables that might affect a soccer player’s salary, including sponsorship deals, marketability and the financial stability of the team or league. Salary structures in soccer are fluid, changing with the market and players’ individual performances.

Why are offensive players paid more than others?

For a variety of reasons, attacking players tend to command the highest salaries in the sport. They are a key contributor to the team’s success. They are, after all, the ones responsible for putting the ball in the back of the net. A team cannot win if it does not score. Moreover, fans enjoy seeing goals. A team scoring more goals will get more viewers. Therefore, strikers command more pay for their services.

Lionel Messi, one of the best players of all time, has made an indescribable amount of money in his playing career.
Lionel Messi, one of the best players of all time, has made an indescribable amount of money in his playing career.

Lionel Messi, one of the best players of all time, has made an indescribable amount of money in his playing career.

Some of the clearest examples of this are the talent and depth of the teams of Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City. Despite possessing an abundance of all-stars across the board, the club’s attackers nevertheless earn the highest salaries.

Modern era contracts

Cristiano Ronaldo signed a contract with Saudi club Al-Nassr until 2025. That contract guarantees him an annual income of roughly $220 million. The Portuguese player’s wage does not only cover his playing fees. That also includes his image rights and any commercial arrangements.

Messi’s agreement with Inter Miami features a salary, signing bonus and club stock. In terms of value, he earns between $50 and $60 million annually. It is comparable to the salaries earned by top players in the NBA and NFL. This provides you with a rough indication of how much more or less strikers make compared to other players.

And that is before you consider how much the world’s most expensive players earn. Nobody in the top 10 highest-paid players list plays a defensive or a goalkeeper’s position, according to Transfermarkt.

Strikers in professional soccer leagues often earn six-figure salaries. Most of them earn at least $124,000 a week. That is far more than other roles in soccer. There are a lot of star players making much less money in different positions on the pitch.

Merchandise featuring players like midfielders is always popular, and fans adore it when their favorite players score goals. It is also worth noting that goal scorers are always the center of attention.

PHOTOS: IMAGO.