Zidane is still highest paid despite retirement

Despite retiring last year from professional football, Zinedine Zidane remains the highest-paid French sportsman due to earnings of EUR 13 million that he received in 2006, according to L'Equipe.

In second place is Thierry Henry, who plays for English Premier League club Arsenal.

Zidane's income came from his salary with Spanish Real Madrid and national club bonuses earned from France reaching the FIFA World Cup finals.

His earnings were actually down by USD 1.6 million and Henry's was up by 28 percent after speculation that he might move to Spanish Primera Division side Barcelona.

The Arsenal striker received income of EUR 12.4 million last year, which was EUR 2.7 million more than in 2005.

English Chelsea's Claude Makelele ranked earned EUR 7.2 million while Italy's Inter Milan's Patrick Viera made EUR 7.1 million. San Antonio Spurs basketball player, Tony Parker, made EUR 9.8 million.

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