Andres Iniesta, The Older The Richer

Andres Iniesta (Instagram @ andresiniesta8)

JAKARTA - Andres Iniesta is an icon of Spanish football. He successfully brought La Furia Roja to World Cup and European Cup glory and helped Barcelona win several La Liga titles and the Champions League.

However, this elegant midfielder is not only useful on the soccer field. Iniesta, since moving to Japan, has become one of the highest earning footballers.

Forbes magazine estimates Iniesta's net worth at nearly 30 million euros, which places him seventh on the list of the world's highest-paid footballers, and the only Spanish footballer to make the top 10.

His arrival at Vissel Kobe had made this possible. Iniesta recently signed a contract extension for the next two years for a value of 25.5 million euros per year.

That makes up 90 percent of its revenue, while the remaining 10 percent comes from its sponsorship with brands like Asics and Nissan, as well as other ventures.

Iniesta's income is the same as that earned by Robert Lewandowski at Bayern Munich.

Then, who is in first place? He is Cristiano Ronaldo. Since completing his move to Manchester United in the summer, Ronaldo has become the highest-paid footballer in the world. According to Forbes, he overtook his rival Lionel Messi, who is now in Paris Saint-Germain uniform.

During the 2021/22 season, Ronaldo will earn nearly 107 million euros gross, including a salary of nearly 60 million euros and more than 40 million euros in revenue from sponsorships and partnerships with a number of brands.

Meanwhile, La Pulga will earn around 94 million euros gross, with a salary of 64 million euros, but lower commercial income. Messi is sponsored by brands including Adidas, Pepsi and Budweiser.