Football being the most popular sport in the world attracts corporates and brands that offer lucrative sponsorship deals to the stars of the game.
Footballers are considered to be among the prominent icons in the world as they sign huge contracts with commissions, bonuses and sell clauses.
TeamKenya takes a look at the five richest footballers and how they made their money.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano is the richest footballer in the world right now with a net worth of $450 million.
Ronaldo earns £15 million annually for wearing Nike branded football boots making him the highest paid footballer by Nike.
The Portuguese forward signed a lifetime deal with Nike and being the first footballer to do so or Nike and the third in all sports.
Ronaldo is also the owner of a hair transplant clinic across Spain and Portugal called 'Insparya'. He also has a luxury hotel brand called 'CR7' in Portugal.
2. Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi earns as much as $165 million annually as salary and incentives.
The Argentinian forward opened a clothing line in 2019 known as 'The Messi Store', a retail outlet.
The 34-year-old earns £18 million annually for wearing Adidas branded boots. He signed a three-year contract with PSG where he is set to earn £93.8million over the next three years.
3.David Beckham
Back in the 2000s, Beckham was considered the most marketable player with a net worth of $450 million.
During his time as a footballer, he played for some of the biggest clubs in the world like Manchester United, Real Madrid and PSG, among others.
He has invested in various sectors like the food industry, fashion, television and entertainment among others. He is also the co-owner of the MLS football team Inter Miami.
Beckham also has various endorsement deals with Armani, Gillette, Adidas and Pepsi among many others.
4. Dave Whelan
Dave Whelan, who has a net worth of $220 million, became one of the richest footballers after hanging his boots.
After his exit in football, Dave opened several supermarkets called 'Whelan's Discount Stores' but he eventually sold them.
Whelan is commonly known for being the owner of Wigan Athletic, after purchasing the club in 1995 with the club getting a promotion to the main league in 2005.
5. Alexandre Pato
Alexandre Pato currently plays for MLS outfit Orlando City has a net worth of $145 million
The 32-year-old is in different business sectors where he has invested in property holdings and a very lucrative deal with CoverGirl cosmetics.
Pato also owns of a chain of burger restaurants in Brazil named 'Fat Pato Burger', a fashion line named 'Alexandre Pato Seduction' and a vodka brand called 'Wonderpato - Brazil'.