Khaberni - Amin Jamal, an 18-year-old Barcelona winger, has made a spectacular entry into the financial elite of the football world by being included in Forbes' list of the top 10 highest-paid players of 2025, topped by the Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo leads the latest Forbes list with an astonishing income of $280 million this year, maintaining his dominance at the top of the financial world of football after the 40-year-old signed a two-year contract extension with Al Nassr in the Saudi Professional League.
The Portuguese striker, who became the first football player to reach billionaire status and topped the list of the world's highest-paid athletes for three consecutive years in May, is nearing 1,000 goals in his career.
His long-time rival Lionel Messi ranks second with $130 million, with the Inter Miami forward (38 years old) earning most of his income from off-field deals.
Messi's advertising portfolio, involving image and name rights usage, includes companies such as Adidas, Lay's, and Mastercard, and he launched a sports drink last year.
French striker Karim Benzema ranks third in the list earning $104 million, benefiting from his transfer to Al Ittihad Saudi Club.
Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid completes the top five with $95 million, and Erling Haaland from Manchester City with $80 million, are expected to compete for dominance for the Ballon d'Or over the next decade.
Jamal's meteoric rise
However, young Jamal's meteoric rise threatens to shake up the current football establishment.
The Spanish winger's remarkable 2024-2025 season saw him score 18 goals and provide 25 assists in all competitions with Barcelona, after helping Spain win the European Championship.
Forbes reports that Jamal has boosted his sponsorships by adding "Beats by Dre" to a group that already includes Adidas, Konami, and Powerade, pushing his earnings to $43 million.
Barcelona rewarded their young player with a new contract until 2031 following "Barça's" domestic treble of the league, King's Cup, and Super Cup.
Jamal also inherited the famous number 10 shirt previously worn by Messi, symbolizing a passing of the torch.
The promising Spanish talent follows Real Madrid star and English international Jude Bellingham ($44 million), who also made Forbes' top 10 players list at ninth place.
Neymar, whose lucrative contract with Al Hilal Saudi ended in January, is no longer in the top ten after moving to Santos in Brazil, while Kevin De Bruyne dropped out of the list after leaving Manchester City in a free transfer to join Napoli.
Top 10 Highest Paid Players List
1. Cristiano Ronaldo: $280 million
2. Lionel Messi: $130 million
3. Karim Benzema: $104 million.
4. Kylian Mbappe: $95 million.
5. Erling Haaland from Norway: $80 million.
6. Vinicius Junior: $60 million.
7. Mohamed Salah: $55 million.
8. Sadio Mane: $54 million.
9. Jude Bellingham: $44 million.
10. Lamin Jamal: $43 million.
