Top Richest footballers in the World

Former Real Madrid striker Raul Gonzales is the richest Spanish footballer, according to a recent report run by Goal.com on the sport’s richest.

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Raul who nows players for Qatari side Al Sadd, after a spell with German club Schalke, is worth around €44m, beating Barcelona striker David Villa (€43m), Iker Casillas (€35m) and Fernando Torres (€29m).



Another former Los Blancos player, David Beckham is number one on the list, earning a staggering 200m euros, whilst Barca’s Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo sit second and third respectively.



Another Real Madrid player, Kaka is fourth on the list, whilst Ronaldinho, now playing Brazil sits fifth.



Full List



1. David Beckham (PSG) – 200 million euros



2. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) – € 134m



3. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) – € 130m



4. Kaká (Real Madrid) – € 80m



5. Ronaldinho (Atletico Mineiro) – € 73m



6. Samuel Eto’o (Anzhi Makhachkala) – € 60m



7. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) – € 58m



8. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (PSG) – € 55m



9. Rivaldo (Sao Caetano) – € 53m



10. Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United) – € 49m



11. Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls) – € 48m



12. Michael Owen (Stoke City) – € 46.5m



13. Raul Gonzalez (Al Sadd) – € 44m



14. David Villa (Barcelona) – € 43m



15. Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) – € 41m



16. Ryan Giggs (Manchester United) – € 40m



17. Frank Lampard (Chelsea) – € 38m



18. Robbie Fowler (no team) – € 37.5m



19. Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) – € 37m



20. Robinho (AC Milan) – € 36m



21. Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) – € 35m



22. Frank Ribery (Bayern Munich) – € 33.5m



23. John Terry (Chelsea) – € 31.5m



24. Didier Drogba (Galatasaray) – € 29m



25. Fernando Torres (Chelsea) – € 29m



26. Wesley Sneijder (Galatasaray) – € 25.5m



27. Nicolas Anelka (Juventus – transfer) – € 25m



28. Alessandro Del Piero (Sydney FC) – € 24.5m



29. Miroslav Klose (Lazio) – € 24m



30. Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) – € 24m



31. Francesco Totti (Roma) – € 24m



32. Petr Cech (Chelsea) – € 23m



33. Neymar (Santos) – € 23m



35. Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich) – € 23m



36. Joe Cole (West Ham United) – € 22.5m



37. Andrea Pirlo (Juventus) – € 22.5m



38. Paul Scholes (Manchester United) – € 22m



39. Damien Duff (Fulham) – € 21.5m



40. Park Ji-Sung (QPR) – € 21m



41. Daniele De Rossi (Roma) – € 21m



42. Clarence Seedorf (Botafogo) – € 21m



43. David Trezeguet (River Plate) – € 20m



44. Xavi (Barcelona) – € 20m



45. Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) – € 19.5m



46. Ashley Cole (Chelsea) – € 19.5m



47. Shunsuke Nakamura (Yokohama F Marinos) – € 19.5m



48. Michael Essien (Real Madrid – transfer) – € 19m



49. Yaya Toure (Manchester City) – € 19m



50. Alessandro Nesta (Montreal Impact) – € 18.5m

Neymar to make decision 'soon'

Neymar has been heavily linked with move to Barcelona and has confirmed that he will make a decision at the end of the season.

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The future of the Brazilian starlet has long been under the microscope and although Real Madrid have been credited with an interest, it appears to be a matter of time over when he moves to Camp Nou.

There has also been talk though that the 21-year-old is keen to stay in Brazil until after the World Cup in 2014, although Neymar has revealed that he will not be making a decision until the end of the season.



"I will decide what to do soon," he told reporters. "I will sit down with my family and with Santos."

Santos offer Neymar new deal

Santos vice-president Odilio Rodrigues has denied rumours Barcelona have agreed a deal with Neymar and confirmed the club have opened talks over a new contract.



The Brazilian superstar is one of football's hottest properties and has been linked with a move to some of Europe's biggest clubs in recent months.



Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid have all been credited with an interest in the 21-year-old in the past, while rumours suggested Barcelona had come to an agreement to take him to the Nou Camp.



Earlier this month Barca full-back Dani Alves, an international team-mate of Neymar, urged the striker to make the move to the Catalan giants.



Santos have always insisted the forward will remain at the club until at least after the 2014 World Cup, due to be held in Brazil.



The club have now revealed they have opened negotiations over a new extended deal for the forward, playing down the earlier comments by Alves.



"The club's managing committee has already decided, we intend to extend his [Neymar's] contract beyond 2014, we are working to make that happen," Rodrigues told UOL.



"We have already opened talks with Neymar's father, who denies there is any kind of agreement [with Barcelona] and we believe him. He said Neymar will be where he is happy.



"The news from Daniel Alves isn't anything new, Neymar is being sold every day, there is always news that he has been sold.



"They even say that Santos has received some money. It's very common, but there is no negotiation between Santos and any other club."



Brazilian legend Pele has also spoken out about Neymar's future, saying he should ignore any offers from England or Germany.



The three-time World Cup winner believes Neymar's game would be better suited to a move to Spain, with Barcelona his preferred destination.



"The problem is not the city that he goes to, it is where the best conditions for him will be,"said the 72-year-old.



"In England, Germany or Italy the game is harder. The referees are more accustomed to letting the play go on. Barcelona would be ideal for him.



"Santos do need him and for that reason I do not think he should push to leave, but when the time comes for both parties he should only join Barca."

Barcelona waiting for Neymar's signal

Barcelona vice-president Josep Bartomeu has revealed that the Catalans are ready to make a move for Santos sensation Neymar once he gives a signal that he is ready to leave his current club.



The Brazil international is continually being linked with a move to Europe, but he has repeatedly insisted that he is no rush to leave his native country before World Cup 2014 in his homeland.



Nevertheless, the Blaugrana continue to monitor Neymar's situation, and are ready to pounce when the 21-year-old decides to leave Santos.



"Neymar has to step up first and say that he's ready to leave Santos. When that happens, Barca will be ready to try and sign him, because the technical staff want him," Bartomeu told La Porteria.



"It is always good to sign an interesting player. We look at home first before we turn our attention to the transfer market."



Neymar has a contract with Peixe until after the 2014 World Cup.

Bayern rule out Neymar move

Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has cooled any speculation that the club will be making a move for Brazilian star Neymar.

The 21-year-old is regarded as one of the hottest prospects in world football, with a number of top European clubs already involved in a tug of war.

The German outfit have seemingly ruled themselves out of any such battle for the Santos player's signature, though, with Hoeness revealing they are not interested.

Bayern broke the German transfer record last summer when they secured at €40 million deal for Athletic Bilbao's Javi Martinez, but the club president has made it clear they will not be splashing the cash this time round.



"I do not think that in the next few years we will buy a player that is more expensive than [Javi] Martinez," he said.

Footballers Cars in Pictures

We bring you the football player's in pictures. You may see your favourite car here!

Steven Gerrard's Bentley Continental GT

Fernando Torres and his Aston Martin 

Freddie Ljungberg and his Ferrari

Emmanuel Adebayor and His Bentley Continental

Sulley Muntari and his Lambourgini Gallardo

Wayne Rooney and his Lamborghini Gallardo

Lionel Messi and his Maserati Granturismo http://

Cristiano Ronaldo and his Maserati

Emmanuel Adebayor and His Bentley Continental

Mesut Ozil with his Ferrari 

Rio Ferdinand and his Aston Martin

Nani and his Lamborghini Gallardo

Robbie Savage and his Lamborghini Murcielago

David James and his Reliant Robin!

John Terry and his Ferrari 

Nicklas Bendtner and his Aston Martin DBS

Cristiano Ronaldo and his Lamborghini

Djibril Cissé and his Plymouth Prowler

Ashley Cole and his Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG

Tom Cleverley and his Audi

Steven Gerrard with his Jaguar's XKR Convertible

David Beckham and his Porsche Turbo

Martin Skrtel's Bentley!

Neymar with his Audi

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Neymar may remain at Santos

Neymar's father says that his son is likely to see out his contract at Santos unless the Brazilian club decides to sell him.

The 21-year old has been linked with moves to a number of European clubs in recent transfer windows but he still has another year remaining on his contract.



The striker's father, who is also called Neymar, believes that the ball is firmly in Santos' court when it comes to his son's future.



"I won't say that it's not true, but a lot of that is speculation. I've been talking to everyone that Neymar is under contract at Santos. This is simple, when Santos say "We will sell Neymar", we'll position ourselves," he told Lancenet.



"But it's the other way around. Neymar has a contract until (June) 2014, and Santos even talk about renewing (the contract).



"Offers came in June and December last year, thank God there are always clubs interested in Neymar. I won't say that's a bad thing, it's good clubs express interest for him."

Dante reveals Neymar interest

Bayern Munich centre-back Dante has admitted he has spoken with Santos striker Neymar regarding a move to the Allianz Arena.

The highly-rated forward has been linked with a move to the Bundesliga frontrunners, along with the likes of Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Whilst on international duty with Brazil, Dante has revealed he spoke to Neymar regarding a move to Bayern, as the defender hopes his Samba Boys team-mate will join the Bavarian outfit.

He told Sky Sports: "I told Neymar there is nothing better than Bayern Munich.

"I said it would be a great club for him."

Neymar: The pressure is huge in Brazil

The Santos and Brazil star opened up to FIFA.com about fatherhood, his club future, the mood in Brazil ahead of a vital two years for ...

Thanks to his outlandish hairstyles, high-prolife presence in the No11 shirt and vast repertoire of tricks and flicks, Neymar has made a name for himself right across the football world. Yet despite the glare of the spotlight, there is no question of the Brazilian entertainer being fazed by it all.



Recently named South American Footballer of the Year for the second time in a row, the Santos and Brazil striker is taking everything in his stride and keeping his feet firmly on home soil, despite attracting the much-reported attention of Europe’s biggest clubs.



A succession of titles have come his way already in his short career, among them the 2011 Copa Libertadores, and as he prepares to win yet more in the year ahead, he gave a wide-ranging interview to FIFA.com at the recent FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala.



Among the topics up for discussion were the recent changes in the national team set-up, life as a father, his take on 2012 and the contract with O Peixe, which expires next year.



FIFA.com: How do you feel about taking part in the FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala for a second time?

Neymar: I’m very proud and happy to be here. To be taking part in such a big party as this, with all the world’s best players here and to be side by side with my heroes, is something that I’m thrilled about obviously.



Does the fact that you’re South American club football’s only representative make it even more special?

It is a special feeling, yes. I think I’m doing a good job and that I’m on the right track. I’m very pleased to be achieving the goals I’ve set myself, and I hope to keep that going and be at the next galas too.



You were nominated for the second time running for the FIFA Puskás Award for the best goal of the year. Is scoring great goals another of the objectives you set yourself every year?

No, no. That’s just how it’s worked out, and it’s not like I’m out there on the pitch trying to score fantastic goals. Thanks to God I’ve managed to score some very nice ones and more than anything else they’ve been good enough to get me to the Gala.



Do you enjoy scoring goals as much as providing assists?

I enjoy both. If I can’t score, then creating a goal makes me happy too. To tell you the truth, every time I play a pass and a team-mate scores from it I get the same feeling as I would if I’d scored.

Every time I play a pass and a team-mate scores from it I get the same feeling as I would if I’d scored.- Brazil and Santos attacker Neymar

Which do you find hardest: performing on the pitch or bringing up a child?

That depends on the situation (laughs). My son is nearly 18 months old and he’s starting to give me a lot of work now too. I’d have to say it’s a little more difficult bringing up a son.



How would you describe yourself as a father?

A very happy one, and I’m grateful to God for giving me this wonderful gift. I fuss over him a lot, as you’d expect. I spend as much time with him as I can, whether I’m at a pre-match get-together, at home, or at my mother’s place. I want to be with him as much as possible.

Neymar goes one to one on Lionel Messi during Club World Cup in 2011.

Let’s turn to football now. What was your personal highlight of 2012?

It would have to be the Brazilian championship game against Cruzeiro (Neymar scored a hat-trick in a 4-0 win for Santos last November), when I got a round of applause from all the opposition fans. It was a very emotional moment for me. I felt very honoured, I have to say, and it made a big impact on me.



Tell us about your experience at the London Olympics, where Brazil lost to Mexico in the final.

It’s a tough one because it was a very happy time but sad too. I learned an awful lot from it. A lot of athletes go to the Olympics in search of a medal, whether it’s a bronze, silver or gold, and we came away with a silver. It’s not what we expected but for a sportsman it’s still wonderful. It was a shame to lose the final but I’m also happy to be a medal-winning athlete.



You’ll be facing Mexico at the FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013. Is that a chance for revenge?

A little bit! (laughs) We’re really up for it after losing that final, though we don’t have anything against them obviously. That’s football. In every final there’s a winner and it went their way that time. I think they deserved it too.

Neymar eye to take revenge when they face Mexico for FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013.

What do you owe former Brazil coach Mano Menezes?

Mano brought me into the team. He gave me my first call-up, and I learned a lot of things with him. Every coach you work with has their own way of doing things and you learn a little from each of them. It was no different with Mano, and I learned a lot too.



How do you feel about Luiz Felipe Scolari’s arrival?

There’s a huge amount of expectation. He’s a great coach, whom I’ve played against, and he’s also a great person. I hope we can show that when we play and win all our games.



Scolari was the last Brazil coach to win the world title at the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan™. What memories do you have of that competition?

I remember it clearly. I was ten and I’d get up very early because it was morning in Brazil when the games were played. I cheered them on all the way and shouted my head off in the early hours. I remember all the goals, especially the ones in the final.



How important will the FIFA Confederations Cup be bearing in mind Brazil haven’t played much competitive football in the last few years?

It’s a really important tournament and we’ll be facing some top-quality teams. It’ll help us prepare for the World Cup, and we need to make the most of it by building a team with a new coach and getting used to a totally different approach. For the good of the team we need to do that as quickly as possible.



The pressure is huge. It’s always there, no matter where we play, but it’ll be even bigger at home.- Neymar



Are you ready to cope with the pressure of playing two major competitions in front of fans as demanding as Brazil’s?

The pressure is huge. It’s always there, no matter where we play, but it’ll be even bigger at home. We’re aware of that but we like it. It’s nice pressure. I’ve been fortunate enough to win finals in different tournaments and it’s fantastic to feel that pressure to succeed. We’re prepared for all of that. Brazilian players just accept it, and we’re preparing for that moment.



Do you agree with Ronaldo’s recent comment that Brazil are not among the top five sides in the world right now?

If you look at the Ranking, Brazil aren’t in the top five at the moment. But we’re working hard on the team’s identity and at becoming more of a unit. We haven’t been playing together for that long. The team’s been through a lot of changes and it needs time to forge that identity and reach the top again.



What are your objectives for 2013?

To help Santos first of all by winning titles any way how, whether it’s with goals, passes or sliding tackles. That’s what matters. And the same goes for the national team: to win titles and take it back to the top.



Will you still be at Santos after the FIFA World Cup?

Even I don’t know that. My contract runs to 2014 but there’s still a long way to go before the World Cup. I don’t know if I’ll renew it or not. It’s a personal issue and I’ll have to talk it through with my family and Santos. We’ll definitely speak about it further down the line.



Dani Alves told us he’s always telling you to sign for Barcelona.

(Laughs) Dani’s always embarrassing me! He’s put me in a tight spot.



Do you think staying in Brazil for so long will delay your development as a player?

No. You can develop and improve your game whether you’re in Brazil or not. Personally I feel I’m becoming a better player and getting more experience as every year goes by. Some people say you have to leave to develop but I don’t agree with that.



You’re only 20 so how do you handle all the success you’ve already had and being world-famous?

I know a lot of things are going on in my life and that everything’s happened too fast up to now, but I do feel prepared for what’s to come. Whenever an opportunity has come my way I’ve worked hard to make the most of it and that’s why I’m so happy. My aim now is to win more things, both with Santos and Brazil. My goal is to keep growing as a player and as a person too.

Thursday's round up of the top transfer stories

- Chelsea target Neymar could follow Pep Guardiola to Bayern Munich, according to reports in Spain.



- Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed the club are ready to battle Manchester United for Crystal Palace prodigy Wilfried Zaha.



- Arsene Wenger insists Arsenal are prepared to spend big this transfer window – and has expressed an interest in Napoli’s Edinson Cavani.



- Everton have lodged an £8.5m bid for Toulouse midfielder Etienne Capoue, according to sources in France.



- QPR’s hopes of adding Real Madrid defender Ricardo Carvalho to their growing squad have been hit by the Spanish club’s injury list.



- Galatasaray have revealed the size of the offer accepted by Inter Milan for Wesley Sneijder, with £6.2million the going rate.



- Newcastle United and Sunderland target Moussa Sissoko will today decide whether or not to accept an offer from Marseille.



- Wigan manager Roberto Martinez has cooled talk of a move for Leeds striker Luciano Becchio.



- Wigan have signed goalkeeper Joel Robles on loan from Atletico Madrid until the end of the season.



- Wigan midfielder Shaun Maloney has signed a new two-and-a-half year contract at the DW Stadium, the Barclays Premier League club have announced.



- Sunderland have made a bid for Swansea City's Danny Graham



- Manchester United have suffered a transfer snub after Pescara star Juan Fernando Quintero revealed his intention to move to Inter Milan.



- Manchester United's Federico Macheda could be about to join Stuttgart on loan, with an option to make the move permanent.



- Manchester United are considering a bid for Real Madrid midfielder Angel Di Maria as a possible replacement for Nani, according to Fichajes.net.



- Man Utd have once again sent scouts to watch Benfica defender Ezequiel Garay in action, according to the Daily Mail.



- Reading striker Gozie Ugwu has agreed to join League One strugglers Plymouth on a one-month loan deal.



- Southampton winger Jason Puncheon has revealed he hopes to win a new deal at St Mary's.



- Stoke boss Tony Pulis would not be drawn on the future of striker Kenwyne Jones after confirming that midfielder Maurice Edu will spend the rest of the season on loan with Bursapor.



- Victor Valdes' representatives have told Barcelona he will not consider extending his stay at the club.



- AC Milan have admitted to being in talks with Real Madrid regarding the possibility of taking Kaka back to Italy on loan.



- Palermo President Maurizio Zamparini has stated that his club are nearing closure on a deal for veteran Chievo shot stopper Stefano Sorrentino.



- USA international Graham Zusi admits he is still waiting to hear from West Ham if he will be handed a permanent contract at Upton Park.



- Pascal Chimbonda could follow in the footsteps of Thierry Henry, David Beckham and Robbie Keane and become the next Premier League export to move to the MLS.



- Christian Eriksen, who has been linked with Liverpool and Tottenham, looks unlikely to leave Ajax this month, according to his agent.



- Ajax outcast Miralem Sulejmani is finally ready to leave the club and move to Benfica - having failed to earn a dream move to England.



- Celta Vigo striker Iago Aspas, who has been linked with a move to Chelsea, could be on his way to Valencia, according toCadena Ser.



- Schalke general manager Horst Heldt has not ruled out selling players this month amid talk Lewis Holtby could make his move to Tottenham during the current transfer window rather than in the summer.



- Marseille are desperate to find a replacement for new QPR man Loic Remy - and they have set their sights on West Ham striker Modibo Maiga.



- Lyon have rubbished speculation linking playmaker Yoann Gourcuff with a move to Arsenal.



- Celtic have signed midfielder Tomas Rogic on a four-and-a-half-year contract from Central Coast Mariners.



- New Blackburn boss Michael Appleton has warned West Ham they will have to up the ante if they are serious about signing defender Martin Olsson.



- Walsall have rejected a bid from Bradford for captain Andy Butler.



- Crystal Palace boss Ian Holloway has confirmed his interest in DJ Campbell, but he faces competition for the QPR striker.



- Leeds United youngster Dominic Poleon has signed a new deal with the club.



- Nottingham Forest have sacked long-term boardroom members Mark Arthur, Frank Clark and Keith Burt.



- Nottingham Forest are lining up a move for Millwall striker Darius Henderson.



- Huddersfield Town are leading the race to sign Bradford City's exciting young striker Nahki Wells.



- Port Vale have announced that the club have signed former Sheffield Wednesday left-back Daniel Jones following his release from Hillsborough.



- Flamengo announced their fourth signing of the 2013 season in the shape of former Corinthians centre-back Wallace on a four year-contract.