6 Africans among world best-paid soccer players

Yaya Toure of Manchester City and the Ivory Coast

US-based Forbes Magazine published a list of 21 best-paid players in the world, which included six who have ties to the continent of Africa.

Ivorian soccer player Yaya Toure, who currently plays for English Premier League side Manchester City, tops the list among the 6 African players, with $20.2 million followed by Didier Drogba ($17.8 million) and Emmanuel Adebayor ($16.7 million).

Figures are from salary, bonuses and sponsorships earned during the 2012 calendar year.

The May issue of the US-based business magazine, listed David Beckham of Paris Saint Germain as the world’s top earner in its list that contained the names of 21 star players.

The 37-year-old and former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Los Angeles Galaxy player, earned $50.6 million, followed by Cristiano Ronaldo ($43.5 million) of Real Madrid and Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona (40.3 million) in second and third place respectively.

The six African players are:

  1. Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast/Manchester City) – $20.2 million
  2. Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast/Galatasaray S.K.) – 17.8 million
  3. Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo/Tottenhan Hotspur) – $16.7 million
  4. Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon/Anzhi Makhachkala) – $16 million
  5. Samir Nasri (French/Algerian/Manchetser City) – $15.7 million
  6. Karim Benzema ( (French/Algerian/Real Madrid) – $14.9 million

For a complete list, please visit Forbes Magazine.