Neymar tops Lionel Messi as Ligue 1’s highest paid players with PSG stars occupying top 14 spots

Neymar remains the highest-paid footballer in France, despite Paris Saint-Germain’s summer signing of Lionel Messi.

French publication L’Equipe have released estimates of monthly salaries across the country’s top tier.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side dominate the list with the top 14 spots occupied by PSG players, showing the gulf between his side and the rest of the league.

L’Equipe have found that Neymar remains at the top of the pile for Ligue 1’s highest earners

PSG players occupy the first 14 positions and an incredible 21 out of the 30 players on the list

L’Equipe’s estimated salaries found that 21 of the highest earners in Ligue 1 are PSG players

Brazil star Neymar, who joined PSG from Barcelona for £198million back in August 2017, is still the division’s top earner, pocketing around £3.4million per month before tax. This equates to a yearly gross salary of just under £41m per year. 

His closest rival is now Messi, who joined the club in the summer following his emotional exit from Barcelona.  

The 34-year-old world superstar, who was once the highest earner in world footballer, now makes around £34m per year at the French giants. 

Lionel Messi (right) is the second highest earner in the league with Mbappe moving down one

Marco Verratti is one of seven players in the PSG squad to earn at least £10m per year

Kylian Mbappe has undoubtedly been the side’s best performer this year but he is some way off his more experienced team-mates in terms of pay.

The 23-year-old, who is in the final few months of his current contract, earns £22m per year. 

Mbappe is expected to leave the club at the end of his contract, with Real Madrid the most likely team to sign him on a free.

PSG currently lead the Ligue 1 title race by 12 points to Marseille and their financial superiority is shown by the fact that they occupy the top 14 places in the list. 

New signings including Achraf Hakimi and Georginio Wijnaldum make the top 10

Monaco striker Wissam Ben Yedder is the highest earner outside of Paris Saint-Germain

Marquinhos and Marco Verratti, veterans of the French side, occupy the top five while Achraf Hakimi enters at six following his summer arrival from reigning Serie A champions Inter Milan.

Keylor Navas, Angel Di Maria, as well as summer signings Georginio Wijnaldum and Gianluigi Donnarumma round up the top 10.

One player who perhaps surprisingly is not in the top 10 is former Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos.

Monaco are the joint-second best represented squad in the list along with Marseille 

The veteran defender is just 12th on the list earning £7.9m per year. 

The first player not representing PSG to make the top 30 is Monaco striker Wissam Ben Yedder, who earns £6.5m per year – a massive £34m drop on the highest player of PSG.

PSG have a staggering 21 players on the list, with Monaco and Marseille the next best represented teams with three apiece. Lyon have two players on the list while Lille have one. 

Former Premier League stars Ander Herrera (£6.5m), Cesc Fabregas (£6m), Idrissa Gueye (£5m), Tanguy Ndombele (£3.5m), Dimitri Payet (£3.5m) and Renato Sanches (£3.3m) all make the list.