Geoff Burke – USA TODAY Sports
Brazil‘s latest wonder kid, Neymar, is still yet to join a European side but it is now evident that he is has broken into the elite club of footballs highest earners, in terms of how much he receives per calendar year.
One of the most exciting and talented young stars in recent years has, as reported by ‘Diario de São Paulo’, earned around 60 million in his country’s currency, which translates to £18.20 million and $29.35 million.
This means that as an individual he is richer than 13 clubs within Brazil’s highest league, where he plays.
It puts Neymar right at the top of footballs highest earners, along with David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, Samuel Eto’o and world player of the year, Lionel Messi.
Neymar, 20, who helped Brazil get a silver medal at London 2012 this summer earns the largest amount of this though from external streams, and not his club.
The forward has played for Santos since signing professionally in 2009, and has 11 sponsors that help bring in such incredibly high figures; such as Red Bull, Nike and Panasonic, who according to Spanish media source, Marca, dish out around £1 million ($1.7m) a year each for him to endorse their products.
Furthermore, he then earns additional amounts from media appearances and his own Neymar brand, NRJ, which managed to turn over £1.24 million ($2m) in 2012.
Neymar has frequently been linked over recent years with a move to Europe having impressed in his home country. But he always repeated that he would like to at least stay with his boyhood club, Santos, until after the 2014 World Cup where his country will be hosts.
Barcelona, Real Madrid and PSG are just a few who are reported to be interested, but Neymar wants to experience playing his football in Brazil whilst the hype of the World Cup is around, before departing; but European football does seem a realistic avenue in the future, where he can really make a name for himself among the World’s best.
Neymar is known for his terrific goals and flamboyant and exciting style of play, but now we can see he is also earning an astonishing amount.
By Stowe Gregory – Follow or Tweet @stowegregory
[...] more at http://www.rantsports.com/soccer/2013/01/13/brazillian-neymar-joins-wealthy-5/#q2GrcUlHMR0qClfA.99 Courtesy of www.RantSports.com Posted in Rant Sports Articles [...]