PSG’s Mbappe beats Messi and Ronaldo to top Forbes rich list

London: Paris St Germain’s Kylian Mbappe has emerged as the world’s highest-paid football player, according to Forbes magazine, the first time a player other than Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo has topped the list in eight years. Mbappe, 23, is estimated to earn $128mn for the 2022-23 season before agents’ fees, a record for Forbes’ annual rankings, with PSG teammate Messi second at $120mn and Manchester United’s Ronaldo ($100mn) occupying third spot.PSG’s Neymar ($87mn) and Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah ($53mn) rounded off the top five. Erling Haaland, who has made a blistering start to his Manchester City career after joining the club from Borussia Dortmund in the close season, makes his debut in the top 10 with earnings of $39mn.The rise of Frenchman Mbappe and Norwegian Haaland, the only players under the age of 30 on the list, signals a shift in the global game, the Forbes report said, as Messi and Ronaldo edge closer to the end of their glorious careers. In total, the 10 highest paid football players are expected to collect record earnings worth $652mn this season, up 11% from last year’s $585mn. Forbes - Football rich list1. $128m    Kylian Mbappe2. $120m    Lionel Messi3. $100m    Cristiano Ronaldo4. $87m    Neymar Jr.5. $53m    Mohamed Salah6. $39m    Erling Haaland7. $35m    Robert Lewandowski8. $31m    Eden Hazard9. $30m    Andrés Iniesta10. $29m  Kevin De Bruyne