• Loading stock data...
Thursday, June 5, 2025

The Highest-Paid Soccer Midfielders

  • Five midfielders are earning over $20 million.
  • Nine players from the Saudi Pro League are among the highest-paid soccer midfielders.
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Soccer continues to be the most popular sport worldwide and grabs attention wherever the top clubs play.

Midfielders hold immense value in the outcome of each match and clubs pay them high fees for their services. The highest-paid soccer midfielders command salaries over $20 million a year.

Two players are tied for first at $26.9 million a year. N’Golo Kanté of Al-Ittihad and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic of Al Hilal lead the way among midfielders.

Kanté signed with Al-Ittihad in 2023 after a career mostly in England’s Premier League. He was an integral part of an underdog Leicester City squad that made history by winning the Premier League in 2015-2016.

Milinkovic-Savic has been productive playing mainly in Italy before his move to Saudi Arabia. His 134 total goals and assists in his career is fourth-most among the top 10 highest-paid midfielders. 

Third is Marcelo Brozovic of Al Nassr earning $26.1 million. The Croatian midfielder spent his entire career in Italy playing for Inter Milan before signing with the Saudi Arabian side in 2023.

Fourth on the list is Manchester United’s Casemiro. He signed a two-year, $47.2 million contract in 2022. The 32-year-old has earned over $94 million in his career mostly with Real Madrid.

Rounding out the top five is Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich. Kimmich earns $21 million, one of six midfielders earning over $20 million. He’s won nine trophies, including the 2020 Champions League.

The Saudi Pro League is the league paying the most for midfielders. Five of the top 10 highest-paid soccer midfielders play in Saudi Arabia.

Ranking The Highest-Paid Midfielders in Soccer

Here is the entire list of highest-paid soccer midfielders of 2024. The list was compiled with data from Capology.

  • Updated: December 6, 2024
RankPlayerTeamTotal Compensation
T-1N’Golo KantéAl-Ittihad$26.9 million
T-1Sergej Milinkovic-SavicAl Hilal$26.9 million
3Marcelo BrozovicAl Nassr$26.1 million
4CasemiroManchester United$23.6 million
5Joshua KimmichBayern Munich$21 million
7Frenkie De JongBarcelona$20.5 million
8Rúben NevesAl Hilal$18.6 million
9Federico ValverdeReal Madrid$17.96 million
10Seko FofanaAl-Ettifaq$16.4 million
11Declan RiceArsenal$16.18 million
12Georginio WijnaldumAl-Ettifaq$16.16 million
13İlkay GündoğanManchester City$15.5 million
T-14FabinhoAl-Ittihad$15.1 million
T-14Franck KessiéAl-Ahli$15.1 million
16RodriManchester City$14.8 million
17Leon GoretzkaBayern Munich$14 million
18Thomas ParteyArsenal$13.5 million
T-19Aurélien TchouaméniReal Madrid$13.47 million
T-19Eduardo CamavingaReal Madrid$13.47 million
21Nicolò BarellaInter Milan$12.97 million
22Gabri VeigaAl-Ahli$12.93 million
23Enzo FernándezChelsea$12.1 million
24Hakan ÇalhanoğluInter Milan$11.97 million
T-25Luka ModricReal Madrid$11.2 million
T-25Dani CeballosReal Madrid$11.2 million

Related lists:

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Ryan Reynolds

Wrexham Looking to Sell Stake at 19,000% Valuation Growth: Report

The club is now one promotion away from the Premier League.
Marc Lasry

Marc Lasry Still Wants to Buy an NWSL Team 

The billionaire tried, and failed, to buy two NWSL clubs last year.
Soccer

Chicago Stars Aren’t Asking for Taxpayer Stadium Money—Yet

A unique new law will compel Illinois lawmakers to consider women’s teams.

Featured Today

May 27, 2015; Paris, France; Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (CRO) knocks the clay off her shoe during her match against Simona Halep (ROU) on day four of the French Open at Roland Garros

Roland-Garros’s Iconic Red-Clay Surface Is a Precise Alchemy

The exact science behind maintaining the French Open’s red clay.
Alex Jensen introductory press conference on Monday, March 17, 2025.
June 3, 2025

Alex Jensen Started Utah Utes HC Job While Still Coaching the Mavs

How Jensen began building an NCAA program while patrolling the Dallas sideline.
May 31, 2025

PSG and the City of Paris Can Join European Soccer’s Elite

What a maiden Champions League title would mean for the French club.
May 30, 2025

How the Champions League Anthem Took on a Life of Its Own

The composer didn’t know he wrote a timeless hit three decades ago.

French Open Ratings Up 23% in Week 1 Ahead of Star-Powered Finals

The women’s final will feature the world’s top two players.
Lois Boisson
June 5, 2025

Coco Gauff Ends Lois Boisson’s $785K Cinderella Run in French Open Semis

Boisson entered the tournament ranked No. 361 in the world.
Aaron Rodgers
June 5, 2025

Aaron Rodgers Finally Agrees to Deal With Steelers

The one-year deal is reportedly set to be signed Friday.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

In Episode 7 of Portfolio Players, go inside the boardroom with Avenue Capital CEO and former Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry on Giannis’s future, women’s sports, and upstart leagues like TGL and Unrivaled. 
Nov 3, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) walks off before a game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium.
June 4, 2025

Derek Carr Didn’t Want to ‘Just Take the Saints Money’

The retired quarterback walked away from a $30 million salary.
June 4, 2025

361st-ranked Boisson Stuns at French Open, Quintuples Career Earnings

The 2025 French Open is Boisson’s first Grand Slam.
June 4, 2025

Stanley Cup Is Connor McDavid’s Chance to Cement All-Time Status

The Oilers superstar is mirroring the path of Sidney Crosby and Wayne Gretzky.
May 31, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Melissa Jefferson-Wooden (USA), left, defeats Gabby Thomas (USA) to win the women's 200m, 21.99 to 22.10, during the Grand Slam Track Philadelphia at Franklin Field.
June 2, 2025

Grand Slam Track Investigating Man Saying He Heckled Gabby Thomas to Win..

The league announced a “full investigation into the reprehensible behavior.”