World Cup: How Much Do Top Footballers Earn?

To most Americans, David Beckham is a soccer superstar. But to the rest of the world, he's pretty much an average professional footballer -- at least in terms of salary. Beckham's nearly $6.5 million annual contract doesn't even crack the list of the top 20 highest-paid soccer stars, and barely puts him onto the list of the top 50 earners in the sport.

Comparatively speaking: Soccer versus American football salaries

Although top athletes in neither sport are lacking in terms of base pay, the salaries of NFL players surpass those of professional soccer players. For the NFL's 2009-2010 season, average salary for the top five highest-paid players (not including endorsement deals) was $20.32 million. For the top five footballers, salaries averaged $14.67 million.

In honor of the World Cup, here's a look at the paychecks that go with being a star of the world's favorite sport.

The top 5

1. Coming in at No. 1 is 25-year-old Portuguese player Cristiano Ronaldo, who earns $17.06 million* per year as a forward for Spanish football club Real Madrid. Ronaldo, who also captains the Portuguese national team, is the most expensive soccer player in history. Real Madrid bought his rights from U.K.-based Manchester United in a 2009 trade -- for a cool $132 million.

2. Sweden's Zlatan Ibrahimovic comes in at No. 2, earning a reported $15.7 million for the 2009-2010 season. The 29-year-old striker plays for Barcelona and the Swedish national team. Until Ronaldo's Real Madrid deal was inked in 2009, Ibrahimovic was soccer's highest-paid player.

3. At 22, Lionel Messi is the youngest player to make the top 20 list of highest-paid soccer stars. Messi's 2009-2010 contract is worth $13.74 million. Messi, a striker for Barcelona, will represent his home country, Argentina, at this year's World Cup.

4. Samuel Eto'o is the captain of Cameroon's national team and a member of Italy's Internazionale club. The striker was part of the team that won the 2000 Summer Olympics and will participate in his third World Cup tournament this year. His experience has paid off; his current contract is worth $13.74 million.

5. Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, more commonly known as Kaka to fans, rounds out the top five. Kaka, 27, hails from Brazil and will make $13.13 million as a midfielder for Real Madrid this year. Before teammate Ronaldo's Real Madrid deal, Kaka also spent time at the top of the highest-paid players list.

The rest of the top 20

6. Karim Benzema
Home Country: France
Current Club Team: Real Madrid
Age: 22
Salary: $11.17 million 

7. Carlos Tevez
Home Country: Argentina
Current Club Team: Manchester City
Age: 26
Salary: $10.57 million                                                        

8. John Terry 
Home Country: England 
Current Club Team: Chelsea 
Age: 29
Salary: $9.81 million

9. Frank Lampard
Home Country: England
Current Club Team: Chelsea
Age: 31
Salary: $9.81 million

10. Thierry Henry
Home Country: France
Current Club Team: Barcelona
Age: 32
Salary: $9.81 million

11. Xavi
Home Country: Spain
Current Club Team: Barcelona
Age: 30
Salary: $9.81 million

12. Ronaldinho
Home Country: Brazil
Current Club Team: AC Milan
Age: 30
Salary: $9.81 million

13. Steven Gerrard
Home Country: England 
Current Club Team: Liverpool
Age: 29
Salary: $9.81 million

14. Daniel Alves
Home Country: Brazil
Current Club Team: Barcelona
Age: 26
Salary: $9.21 million 

15. Michael Ballack
Home Country: Germany
Current Club Team: Chelsea 
Age: 33
Salary: $8.45 million 

16. Raul 
Home Country: Spain
Current Club Team: Real Madrid
Age: 32
Salary: $8.45 million

17. Rio Ferdinand
Home Country: England
Current Club Team: Manchester United
Age: 31
Salary: $8.45 million

18. Kolo Toure
Home Country: Ivory Coast
Current Club Team: Manchester City

Age: 29
Salary: $8.45 million

19. Wayne Rooney
Home Country: England            
Current Club Team: Manchester United
Age: 24
Salary: $7.85 million

20. Robinho 
Home Country: Brazil
Current Club Team: Manchester City
Age: 26

Salary: $7.85 million

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*Soccer player salary information provided by Portuguese marketing agency Futebol Finance