the Saudi Professional League It is famous for the huge wages paid to footballers, but who are the highest paid players in the competition?
European football may still dominate the modern game, but Saudi Arabia's top league has become more prominent in recent years.
While the standard of the Saudi Professional League is still a marked drop from that of the English Premier League, Spanish League and Bundesliga, it still attracts some of the biggest names in the game, growing its reputation in the process.
Saudi Professional League: Highest-Paid Players |
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---|---|---|---|
Rank |
player |
club |
Weekly wage |
1 |
Cristiano Ronaldo |
Al-Nassr |
3.8 million euros |
2= |
Karim Benzema |
Al-Ittihad |
1.9 million euros |
2= |
Neymar |
Al-Hilal |
1.9 million euros |
4 |
Riyad Mahrez |
Al-Ahli |
1 million euros |
5 |
Sadio Mane |
Al-Nassr |
€769k |
6 |
Kalidou Koulibaly |
Al-Hilal |
€667k |
7 |
Evan Tony |
Al-Ahli |
491 thousand euros |
8= |
Sergej Milinković-Savic |
Al-Hilal |
481 thousand euros |
8= |
Alexander Mitrovic |
Al-Hilal |
481 thousand euros |
8= |
I shot Kanti |
Al-Ittihad |
481 thousand euros |
11 |
Aymeric Laporte |
Al-Nassr |
471 thousand euros |
12 |
Marcelo Brozovic |
Al-Nassr |
465 thousand euros |
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Here are the top 12 earners in the department, with the help of data from Kapology.
12
Marcelo Brozovic (Al Nasr)
465 thousand euros per week
Marcelo Brozovic has enjoyed a strong career in Europe, where he spent his peak years in Inter As well as reaching the 2018 World Cup final with Croatia.
Now 32, the midfielder is enjoying the autumn of his career with Al-Nassr, where he joined from San Siro in 2023 and has registered 18 goal contributions (six goals and 12 assists) at the time of writing.
11
Aymeric Laporte (Al Nasr)
471 thousand euros per week
There was a time when Aymeric Laporte was one of the most impressive centre-backs in the Premier League, proving to be a hugely influential player in the team. Manchester City Under the leadership of Pep Guardiola.
However, his time at the Etihad came to an end last year and, like Brozovic, he traded European football for Al-Nassr, pocketing a huge wage in the process – the equivalent of £390,000 a week.
10
N'Golo Kante – Al-Ittihad
481 thousand euros per week
One of the most beloved footballers of the modern era, N'Golo Kante's move to the Saudi Professional League has arguably come as a surprise.
Former Leicester City W Chelsea The title-winning midfielder is now plying his trade at the Etihad, winding down his career but not retiring yet France. Can he leave his country's national team in the 2026 World Cup?
9
Aleksandar Mitrovic (Al Hilal)
481 thousand euros per week
Aleksandar Mitrovic is the player who chose to take a huge wage in Saudi Arabia – €481,000 (£398,000) per week – rather than stay in the Premier League with… Fulham.
The Serbian has enjoyed a fruitful period with Al Hilal since joining from the Cottagers in 2023. He scored 60 goals yet.
8
Sergej Milinković-Savic (Al Hilal)
481 thousand euros per week
Sergej Milinković-Savic's exit from the European match was one of the biggest surprises, considering that he left for Saudi Arabia while he was still at the peak of his fitness.
The 29-year-old appears to be impressing at current club Al Hilal. He currently earns the same weekly amount as Kante and compatriot Mitrovic, while he already has a league title in Saudi Arabia under his belt, perhaps justifying his insane wages to his team.
7
Evan Tony (Al-Ahly)
491 thousand euros per week
Ivan Toney moved to the Saudi Professional League from Brentford during the 2024 summer window, ending months of transfer speculation.
The fact that the striker plays in Saudi Arabia may hamper his chances of playing England Moving forward, it remains to be seen whether he will return to the Premier League at some point in the future.
still, 8 goals in his first 16 matches For Al-Ahly, it represents a good start in his new club, and if he scores goals, he may remain in his country’s plans.
6
Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal)
667 thousand euros per week
Who also forgot that Kalidou Koulibaly had a short and disappointing spell at Chelsea?
The Senegalese never adapted to life in England after being a world-class player at Napoli, and decided to trade Stamford Bridge for Al Hilal last year. A staggering €667,000 (£551,000) per week appears to be too good to refuse for the defender, who is now 33.
5
Sadio Mane (Al-Nassr)
769 thousand euros per week
Sadio Mane has been part of Liverpool's exodus to the Saudi Professional League in recent years, with former teammates Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and Roberto Firmino heading there.
Now the Reds' highest-paid former player in the competition, the 32-year-old has impressed for Al Nassr, earning… 24 goals and 16 assists In 69 matches.
4
Riyad Mahrez (Al-Ahli)
1 million euros per week
What will City offer in exchange for Riyad Mahrez playing at his highest level at the present time? The winger enjoyed a memorable five years at the Etihad Stadium, winning the Premier League and Champions League among many other trophies, but was the latest to head to Saudi Arabia for a huge payday.
Mahrez is Tony's teammate in Al-Ahly, where he showed his offensive level with… Goals and assists abound.
3
Neymar (Al Hilal)
1.9 million euros per week
The Saudi Professional League's signing of Neymar was one of the biggest statements of intent in the competition, with Al Hilal signing him in 2023, securing the services of one of football's biggest stars over the past 20 years.
The Brazilian legend has recently recovered from a long absence due to injury, and is hoping to make up for lost time. It remains to be seen how much the knee issue affects him, but don't hold back from producing more magic in the coming years.
2
Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad)
1.9 million euros per week
One of the premier strikers of his generation, only Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski have scored more Champions League goals than Karim Benzema.
Having won everything there is to win during an amazing career at Real Madrid, the Frenchman has opted to join the Etihad at the end of the 2022/23 season, where he is already present. He scored more goals in the league this year than it was in his first campaign.
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1
Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nasr)
3.8 million euros per week
It's not surprising to see Ronaldo top the list, right? Let's face it, he wouldn't have had it any other way.
The Portuguese all-time great earns a staggering €3,846,000 (£3.18m) per week at Al Nasr, which is more than some people could dream of earning in their entire lives.
In true Ronaldo fashion, he continued to score goals at a relentless rate in the Saudi Professional League, He is approaching a total of 75 goalsnot to mention chipping in with his fair share of assists for good measure. The biggest star in the competition truly earns the most money.