By Henry Akubuiro
Footballers are among the top three highest paid sportsmen in the world. Aside from their high salaries, footballers make significant sums of money from match and winning bonuses and the revenue they receive from sponsorship deals, running into millions of dollars.
That often comes with a life of luxury which most people in the world can only imagine or watch on make-believe screens. Kylian Mbappe, Christiano Ronaldo and Neymah lead the race of the highest earning footballers in the world, each with an annual salary that’s over $100,000 dollars.
However, the Portuguese player, Christiano Ronaldo, is regarded as the richest footballer in the world with an estimated $500 million net worth in 2023, which include lifetime earnings, endorsements and self branded products.
Any surprise he is given to a life of luxury? Since turning professional footballer, he has lived in palatial homes. These include mansions in Gerês, in the protected national park of Portugal, overlooking the River Cávado, worth USD 3 million; two properties in Lisbon, with one of them located on the Avenida de Liberdade, Lisbon, reported to be the most expensive residential apartment bought or sold in the Portuguese capital (USD 8 million).
Measuring around 290 square metres, the property has only three bedrooms, a gym and a swimming pool. Ronaldo’s life of luxury also reflects in his fleet of supercars with a combined worth of USD 24 million. These include five Ferraris, three Bugattis, at least one four-wheeler from major car makers in the world, from Bentley, Maserati, Lamborghini to Mercedes. Ronaldo once said he didn’t know how many cars he owned.
His latest Bugatti Centodieci, bought in 2021 for around USD 11 million, is a rarity in many garages. He owns at least five Ferraris, including Ferrari Monza SP2, bought in 2021 for USD 2 million. The famous former Manchester United No. 7 also owns a Gulfstream G200 private jet, which he bought in 2015 for approximately USD 30 million.
Enter Ahmed Musa in Ronaldo’s shadow
Nigeria doesn’t have a Ronaldo in the Super Eagles yet whose earnings and luxurious lifestyle are among the most enviable in the world. But in the Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa, we have a player whose taste signifies a life of luxury, perhaps not far removed from a Ronaldo.
Ahmed Musa, who made his Super Eagles debut in 2010, is just 30, but he has become a veteran of sorts in the Super Eagles with 109 caps.
Musa owns two mansions in Jos, Plateau State. Following the attack on his family in his first mansion, the former Leicester City player built a new mansion in Jos with more security features. It also has a swimming pool, a football field with a synthetic pitch, a gym and a mosque.
In 2017, Musa, who has a multi-ethnic, multi-religious background with his father from the North and his mum from Edo State, unveiled a N500 million sports fitness centre in Kano, a state where he made his mark in the Nigerian league playing for Kano Pillars before moving abroad.
Recently, the Super Eagles captain unveiled his ritzy Mercedes-AMG S63 Coupe. To inspire his fans not to give up on their quest for success, Musa posted on his social media handle:
“Trust in the timing of your life. Everything will happen when it’s meant to, as long as you keep working and wanting.”
The Super Eagles captain also owns a Porsche Macan, a Mercedes G-Class SUV, a Range Rover Velar and a Mercedes-Benz GL. Others include a Range Rover, a Mercedes C-Class.
These rides owned by the Sivasspor forward in the Turkish Süper Lig don’t come cheap. His 2019 Mercedes Benz V Class is valued between $61,150 and $76,350 (N26m – N32m). The luxury V-Class is a five-door car with seven speed Sports Automatic and a 4cyl 2.1L turbo diesel engine. Mercedes-Benz V-Class Elite.
The former CSK Moscow forward’s Mercedes Benz CLS has a N31m – N33m valuation ($75,150 – $77,650), equipped with a 362-horsepower, six-cylinder engine.
Musa’s 2017 Porsche Macan is valued at N21m ($50,000). It’s a compact sports-luxury SUV. His Range Rover Sport is valued at N55m, while his Mercedes Benz G-Wagon is valued at N87m.
Victor Osimhen
In a February 2023 match with Spezia in the Italian Serie A, Nigerian striker, Victor Osimhen reached the height of 258cm in one of his two goals that bettered Ronaldo’s 256cm header against Sampdoria in 2019. But Osimhen is yet to catch up with Ronaldo’s luxurious lifestyle.
His €70 million move to Napoli in 2021 made him the second most expensive African footballer of all time from his modest beginning at Wolfsburg, Germany, to Chelerois, Belgium, and Lille, France.
Osimhen is a fashion freak and a lover of posh phones. He has been spotted in a private jet more than once. No official record says he is the owner, but Saturday Sun checks reveal that Osimhen uses a private jet whenever he wants to.
In Naples, Italy, Osimhen has been flaunting his Mercedes Benz G-Wagon, purchased at N65m and delivered in 2021, among other exotic rides. Brimming with joy, he announced the new ride then on social media: “Victor Osimhen has pulled up a big wheel! Big player!! This life, sweet shaa.” One of the highest paid players at SSC Napoli, Osimhen takes home roughly N2.5 billion yearly, with a net worth of $1.5 million.
Kelechi Iheanacho
In the current Super Eagles squad, Kelechi Iheanacho ranks as one of the most flamboyant figures.
With a net worth of $12 million, the former Man City forward was earning a weekly salary of 85,000 pounds. He was to be signed for 25 million pounds by Leicester City.
No doubt, Iheanacho has worked hard for his earnings, and he owns a mansion in the city of Manchester worth $8 million and another in his native Imo State. One of his luxury cars, a BMW i8, is worth N106.5 million, while his Mercedes c300 is worth over N17m.
Alex Iwobi
Alexander Iwobi made a fairly big money move to Everton in 2019 for an initial transfer fee of 28 million pounds, which rose to 34 million pounds eventually, after distinguishing himself in Arsenal as a youth player.
In 2022, Iwobi earned a base salary of £6,240,000. With a networth of N5b, he has a current value of 400 million dollars.
Iwobi lives with his parents in England, which has somehow limited his opulent displays. But among his rides are a sleek Mercedes convertible (that costs 55,400 pounds) and a BMW convertible.
He has bought a big property in Lagos, but has refused to share the location to his teeming fans. Like his uncle Austin Jay-Jay Okocha, Iwobi is a fashionista and a lover of iphones. He was spotted in 2021 wearing a Louis Vuitton jacket worth $6500 which is currently equal to N5m.
The prince of Goodison Park has been spotted with a jet ski, but its ownership is not yet a certainty.
Samuel Chukwueze
The dribbling wizard, Samuel Chukwueze of Villareal in the Spanish La Liga, is one of the most humble lads in the Super Eagles. Recently crowned the Best African Player at Villareal, the Arjen Robben archetype is valued at over €40.00m. With a £780,000 salary per annum, he can afford to live a comfortable life anywhere in the world. Among his fleet is a Mazda MX-5 Miata and an expensive Mercedes Benz car. He has just been signed by Italian giants, AC Milan on a five-year deal.
Simon Moses
The skill set of the Benue State footballer, Simon Moses, is one of the most prized in African football. The FC Nantes forward was a big menace to defenders at the last African Cup of Nations tournament in Cameroon with dazzling displays.
With a net worth of $6 million and a sponsorship deal with Nike, he can afford to lead a luxurious lifestyle. In 2020, he built his first mansion in Sabo in Kaduna. It contains a small football pitch, a chalet and a swimming pool.
Also a philanthropist, he has constructed roads in his Benue community and a drainage facility leading to Obagaji community in Benue State. Besides, he has put smiles on the faces of the community by constructing boreholes, hence addressing the perennial water crisis in the area.
At the moment, Simon earns £31,000 weekly at Nantes FC and around £1,612,000 per annum, with an estimated net worth of over £6,453,240. Simon is a brother’s keeper.