Ronaldinho passes Beckham, now is top-earning footballer

Brazil's Ronaldinho is now the world's best-paid footballer, passing David Beckham according to a study by France Football magazine. The Spanish Barcelona forward made EUR 23 million last year, considerably more than EUR 18 million made by England's captain and Spanish Real Madrid midfielder Beckham, who had topped the survey three years in a row.
 
Ronaldo, also of Real Madrid, came in third with EUR 17.4 million, English Manchester United striker Wayne Ronney was next with EUR 16.1 million while Monaco striker Christian Vieri earned EUR 16 million to place fifth.
 
German consultancy BBDO last month rated Ronaldinho as the world's most commercially valuable player, followed again by Beckham. BBDO valued Ronaldinho's brand at EUR 47 million and Beckham's value at EUR 44.9 million. The report stated that Beckham still was the best-known face in football, but Ronaldinho's youth and recent success made him a more attractive marketing prospect. Ronaldinho just turned 26 � nearly five years younger than Beckham -- and has been voted FIFA World Player of the Year the past two years
 
"Beckham owes his second place in the ranking to his status as the 'metrosexual' prototype and the lucrative contracts this generated for him," BBDO reported.
 

Source: euFootball.BIZ © Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved.