Messi Richest Footballer in the World

Lionel Messi was named by France Football magazine as the world's richest footballer. Messi income from salary, bonus, and the sponsor during 2011 totaled 33 million euros.

Messi ahead of David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo in second and third. Beckham to package 31.5 million euros, while Ronaldo collected 29.2 million euros.

Interestingly, from 31.5 million euros income Beckham 26 million euros of which comes from the sponsor. LA Galaxy midfielder and former England captain is indeed a Pepsi commercials, Motorola, Gilette, and Volkswagen.

Even became the richest footballer in the world, Messi is not the highest paid footballer in the world. Owner of the world's highest salaries are striker Samuel Eto'o Anzi Makhachkala with 20 million euros per year.

However, Eto'o is only ranked fourth in the world's richest footballer earning 23.3 million euros  Here's a list of the world's 20 richest footballers:

No. Player Salary (per year)                Bonus   Other Income  Income Total
1     Lionel Messi (Barcelona) €10.5m               €1.5m  €21m                      €33m
2     David Beckham (Galaxy)  €4.8m                 €0.7m   €26m                      €31.5m
3     Cristiano Ronaldo (Madrid) €13m              €0.7m   €15.5m                   €29.2m
4     Samuel Eto'o (Anzhi)         €20m                 €0.3m   €3m                        €23.3m
5     Wayne Rooney (MU)          €13.8m               €0.8m  €6m                        €20.6m
6     Sergio Aguero (City)           €12.5m             €1.3m  €5m                        €18.8m
7     Yaya Toure (City)                 €13.8m             €1.3m  €2.5m                     €17.6m
8      Fernando Torres (Chelsea) €10.8m            €0.7m  €5.2m                     €16.7m
9      Kaka (Madrid)                     €10m                €0.5m  €5m                         €15.5m
10    Philipp Lahm (Munich)     €10m                €0.6m  €3.7m                      €14.3m
11    Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Milan) €9m                 €2.5m  €2.5m                      €14m
12    Bastian Schweinsteiger (Munich) €10m   €0.6m  €3.3m                      €13.9m
13    Neymar (Santos)                €7m                   €0.3m  €6.5m                      €13.8m
14    Nicolas Anelka (Shenhua) €8.6m               €0.6m  €3.8m                      €13m
15    Frank Lampard (Chelsea) €8.2m                €0.5m  €4.2m                       €12.9m
16    David Silva (City)                 €9.4m              €1.3m  €2.1m                       €12.8m
17    Didier Droga (Chelsea)     €7.7m                €0.9m  €4m                          €12.6m
18   Dario Conca (Guangzhou) €10.6m              €1.3m  €0.6m                      €12.5m
19   Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus)€5m                 €0.3m  €6.4m                      €11.7m
20   Franck Ribery (Munich)       €10m               €0.6m  €1m                          €11.6m