Based on the updated Ballon d’Or rankings for 2024/2025, we have provided you with the Top 17 Best Soccer Players Salaries, Achievements, & Playing Styles which you can also refer to as the list of the top 17 football players in the world right now
Football’s elite athletes are celebrated not only for their unmatched skills on the pitch but also for the enormous salaries and accolades they’ve accumulated throughout their careers. From sublime dribbling maestros to fierce goal-scoring machines, these 17 players represent the pinnacle of the sport.
Their playing styles vary as much as their achievements, with each contributing something unique to the beautiful game
Top 17 Best Soccer Players Salaries, Achievements, & Playing Styles
Here’s an expansion version of any Top 17 Best Football Players Salaries in the World (2024), including details on salaries, achievements, and playing styles.
1. Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid)
Wages: Estimated €500,000 per week
Current Club: Real Madrid
Key Achievements: 2024 Ballon d’Or winner, Champions League winner, La Liga champion.
Style of Play: A quick, technically gifted winger known for his dribbling, acceleration, and ability to score crucial goals in high-pressure situations. Vinícius has developed into Real Madrid’s go-to man in attack.
2. Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
Wages: Estimated €350,000 per week
Current Club: Real Madrid
Key Achievements: Champions League winner, 2024 runner-up for Ballon d’Or, La Liga winner.
Style of Play: Bellingham is a box-to-box midfielder known for his intelligence, passing range, and leadership on the field. His ability to dictate games at such a young age makes him one of the brightest talents in world football.
3. Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
Wages: £400,000 per week
Current Club: Manchester City
Key Achievements: Premier League winner, Champions League winner, FA Cup winner.
Style of Play: A prolific goalscorer, Haaland is known for his physical presence, blistering pace, and clinical finishing. His ability to score from nearly any position makes him a feared striker.
4. Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid)
Wages: Estimated €1.25 million per week
Current Club: Real Madrid
Key Achievements: World Cup top scorer, Ligue 1 top scorer before moving to Real Madrid.
Style of Play: One of the fastest players in the game, Mbappé is a complete forward who excels in finishing, dribbling, and playmaking. His move to Real Madrid has solidified his status as one of the world’s elite players.
We Recently updated also about the highest-paid football Players in the English Premier League 2025 Season I believed we have done a very good job because the article will surely interest you a lot too. You can check it out here >> Highest Paid Football Players in English Premier League
5. Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)
Wages: £400,000 per week
Current Club: Bayern Munich
Key Achievements: Bundesliga top scorer, England national team captain.
Style of Play: Kane is a deep-lying forward known for his goal-scoring ability, vision, and intelligence. His leadership and ability to link up play make him invaluable.
6. Phil Foden (Manchester City)
Wages: £225,000 per week
Current Club: Manchester City
Key Achievements: Premier League Player of the Year, Champions League winner.
Style of Play: Foden is a versatile attacking midfielder who excels in tight spaces with his dribbling and vision. He’s able to operate on the wings or centrally, making him one of Pep Guardiola’s key players.
7. Rodri (Manchester City)
Wages: £220,000 per week
Current Club: Manchester City
Key Achievements: Scored the winning goal in the Champions League final, Premier League champion.
Style of Play: A defensive midfielder with exceptional ball-winning abilities, Rodri’s intelligence and passing help City control games. His defensive contributions are vital to City’s success.
8. Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid)
Wages: Estimated €180,000 per week
Current Club: Real Madrid
Key Achievements: Champions League winner, La Liga champion.
Style of Play: Rüdiger is a strong, aggressive center-back known for his aerial prowess and leadership. His defensive presence has helped solidify Madrid’s backline.
9. Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
Wages: Estimated $1.5 million per week
Current Club: Inter Miami
Key Achievements: 2023 Ballon d’Or winner, Leagues Cup winner with Inter Miami, World Cup 2022 winner.
Style of Play: Even at 37, Messi’s vision, dribbling, and playmaking ability remain world-class. His move to MLS has expanded his global reach and continued his legacy.
10. Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen)
Wages: Estimated €85,000 per week
Current Club: Bayer Leverkusen
Key Achievements: Key player for Bayer Leverkusen, instrumental in European competitions.
Style of Play: Wirtz is a creative midfielder with great vision and technical ability. He excels at creating opportunities for his teammates.
So far, we have seen the TOP 10 Best Football Players Salaries and still yet to cover the complete list of the Top 17 Best Soccer Players Salaries, Achievements, & Playing Styles, but below is the complete list.
11. Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
Wages: £400,000 per week
Current Club: Manchester City
Key Achievements: Premier League winner, FA Cup winner.
Style of Play: A world-class playmaker known for his passing, vision, and set-piece delivery. Despite injuries, De Bruyne remains a key figure for City.
12. Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid)
Wages: Estimated €200,000 per week
Current Club: Real Madrid
Key Achievements: Champions League winner, La Liga champion.
Style of Play: A versatile player capable of playing as a midfielder or left-back, Camavinga is known for his ball-winning skills and tactical intelligence.
13. Rodrygo (Real Madrid)
Wages: Estimated €220,000 per week
Current Club: Real Madrid
Key Achievements: Champions League and La Liga winner.
Style of Play: A versatile forward, Rodrygo is known for his dribbling, speed, and ability to score in crucial moments.
14. Declan Rice (Arsenal)
Wages: £240,000 per week
Current Club: Arsenal
Key Achievements: Instrumental in Arsenal’s top-four finish in the Premier League.
Style of Play: Rice is a defensive midfielder with exceptional ball-winning and leadership skills. His physicality and tactical awareness have helped solidify Arsenal’s midfield.
15. Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid)
Wages: Estimated €180,000 per week
Current Club: Real Madrid
Key Achievements: Champions League and La Liga winner.
Style of Play: A consistent and reliable right-back, Carvajal’s defensive contributions and crossing ability are key to Madrid’s success.
16. Toni Kroos (Real Madrid)
Wages: Estimated €350,000 per week
Current Club: Real Madrid
Key Achievements: Champions League winner, La Liga winner.
Style of Play: Known for his passing accuracy and midfield tempo control, Kroos has been pivotal to Real Madrid’s successes.
17. Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao)
Wages: Estimated €70,000 per week
Current Club: Athletic Bilbao
Key Achievements: Breakout star for Athletic Bilbao and the Spain national team.
Style of Play: Williams is a dynamic winger known for his dribbling and pace, making him a rising star in European football.
This list of Best Football Players Salaries highlights the most in-form footballers as of 2024, combining their recent performances, salaries, and unique playing styles.
In as much as this list looks complete, I would still like you to check below to know more in detail about these players which I just listed above too.
Latest Top Football Players 2025 By Ballon d’Or Rankings
Here is a detailed update on the top football players, according to the latest 2024 Ballon d’Or rankings:
1. Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid)
Vinícius Júnior is the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner, thanks to his immense contributions in helping Real Madrid win both La Liga and the Champions League. He registered 24 goals and 9 assists in all competitions, becoming a key figure in Real Madrid’s attack.
2. Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
Bellingham’s phenomenal transition to La Liga has seen him become one of the most exciting midfielders in the world. His performances in the 2023-24 season, including winning the Champions League, have pushed him into the top echelons of football.
3. Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
Haaland, the Norwegian powerhouse, continues to dominate Europe with his goal-scoring prowess. Despite Manchester City’s Champions League win, Haaland finished third in the Ballon d’Or rankings but was still instrumental, scoring 38 goals in the 2023-24 season.
4. Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid)
Mbappé made headlines with his move to Real Madrid, where he has seamlessly fit into the squad, showing his class and pace. His performances for both PSG and Real Madrid keep him firmly in the top tier of world football.
5. Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)
After his move to Bayern Munich, Kane quickly proved his worth in Germany, breaking goal-scoring records in the Bundesliga and further solidifying his reputation as one of the best strikers in Europe.
6. Phil Foden (Manchester City)
Foden stepped up in Kevin De Bruyne’s absence, winning Premier League Player of the Year and guiding Manchester City to another league title. His versatility and skill have made him a crucial asset for Pep Guardiola.
7. Rodri (Manchester City)
Rodri was pivotal in Manchester City’s treble-winning campaign, especially in the Champions League final. His performances in the heart of midfield have made him one of the most reliable defensive midfielders in the world.
8. Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid)
Rüdiger remains one of the most dependable defenders, contributing massively to Real Madrid’s successful season. His leadership and defensive solidity earned him a spot among the top players.
9. Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
Though Messi did not make the Ballon d’Or shortlist in 2024, his performances in the U.S. for Inter Miami and winning the 2023 edition still make him a legend of the game.
10. Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen)
Wirtz is one of the rising stars in European football. His contributions in the Bundesliga and his growing influence at Leverkusen have turned him into a key player.
11. Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
Despite injuries, De Bruyne remains one of the best playmakers in the game. His vision and creativity continue to influence City’s midfield.
12. Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid)
Camavinga’s versatility, whether deployed as a midfielder or left-back, has been critical for Real Madrid. His tactical intelligence and technical ability are key to his rapid rise.
13. Rodrygo (Real Madrid)
Rodrygo has made significant strides in the last few seasons, becoming a crucial part of Real Madrid’s attacking trident alongside Vinícius and Mbappé.
14. Declan Rice (Arsenal)
Rice’s transfer to Arsenal has been successful, and his commanding performances in midfield have helped Arsenal compete at the top level. His leadership and defensive contributions make him one of the best midfielders in the world.
15. Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid)
Carvajal’s consistency at right-back continues to impress. His role in Real Madrid’s successful campaigns has kept him among the elite defenders.
16. Toni Kroos (Real Madrid)
Though Kroos has retired, his exceptional performances in 2023-24, including Real Madrid’s Champions League victory, keep him highly regarded as one of the best midfielders.
17. Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao)
Williams’ electric performances for Athletic Bilbao and Spain have earned him a spot among the top 17. His dribbling, pace, and goalscoring threat make him a promising winger.
This ranking reflects the current standings of football’s elite in 2024 just as well provided you above the Top 17 Best Football Players Salaries, Achievements, & Playing Styles, and it’s evident that players like Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham, and Erling Haaland are defining a new era in football.