New football wages survey reveals Lionel Messi’s making bank

It should come as no real surprise that arguably the greatest footballer ever is currently the most handsomely paid.

A new survey of footballers' wages by France Football reveals that Lionel Messi is the highest-paid player in the universe. Barcelona's talismanic forward is bringing in an annual income of £47.8m from wages and endorsement deals. £26m of his annual income is his Nou Camp salary, while endorsements from the likes of Adidas, Turkish Airlines and EA Sports bring his earnings up to the total amount. Cristiano Ronaldo is the second-highest earner on the list, making £39.7m a year, while Neymar is left trailing in third place with a measly £26.8m...how can he even afford to live? United's glass-ankled striker Robin Van Persie is the highest earner in the Premier League, picking up around £18.8m per annum, while Wayne Rooney is just behind on £16.5m. Jose Mourinho is the most lavishly paid manager, raking in £13.2m every 12 months while Arsene Wenger (£8.3m) and Louis Van Gaal (£7.3m) also make the top 10. Hat-tip to the Mirror