It's no secret that there is an absurd amount of money flying about in football today. The standard fee for players feels like it increases year upon year and the same is true for wages.
The inflation in salaries is evident in every league in the world, but particularly in the Premier League. The highest-paid player in 1992/93, John Barnes, was earning £10,000-per-week when the English top flight was reformed. Compare that to Kevin De Bruyne's £400,000 weekly wage in 2024/25, and God only knows what the sums might be in a few years' time.
It's not strange to see players earn close to what the Belgian was collecting while he was previously a Manchester City player, with some earning even higher. And Planet Football have assembled an XI of the highest-paid players in Europe today, using figures from Capology when building the team.
Goalkeepers and Defence
Virgil van Dijk
Virgil van Dijk
Despite now being in the twilight of his career, Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is still the highest-paid shot-stopper. Signing an extension to keep him at the Allianz Arena until 2026, the German is on £348,188-a-week, meaning he is pocketing a healthy sum as he potentially winds down his incredible career.
Liverpool might not have received a big fee for Trent Alexander-Arnold when he left the club following the expiration of his contract, but Real Madrid are forking out a significant sum every week for his services. His £276,395-per-week base wage doesn't make him the highest-paid Los Blancos defender in this team, though, as David Alaba is on an even higher salary than his new teammate. The Austrian is the third-highest-paid defender in world football presently and the highest-paid European defender, facts made all the more impressive by the detail that this fee does not include bonuses.
Alexander-Arnold's former teammate, Virgil van Dijk, partners Alaba at centre-back. The Liverpool star is well worth his £350,000 weekly wage, signing a new contract in April 2025 which will keep him at Anfield until 2027. He is flanked by Paris Saint-Germain's Lucas Hernandez, who is by far the lowest-paid player in the backline. Although he now backs Nuno Mendes up for the French side, his £218,861-per-week salary is still a few thousand more than what the Portuguese international earns.
Highest-Paid XI in Europe - Goalkeeper and Defenders
Position
GK
RB
CB
CB
LB
Midfielders
jude bellingham england
On the right of the team is Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, whose new contract, signed in 2025, sees him pocket £400,000-a-week. Not only does that make him the second highest-paid player in the Premier League this year, but it also sees him claim a bronze medal in this XI. It's hard to say that he doesn't deserve the fee either, considering that he was coming off a season where he came up with an astonishing 47 goal contributions in the Premier League alone.
Another English top flight player slots in next to him, although it's harder to justify Casemiro's £350,000-a-week wage. Reportedly rising to £450,000 if bonuses are paid out, the Manchester United ace has looked a shell of the player that they signed from Madrid. With his deal set to expire in 2026, it would be a surprise to see the Red Devils extend his stay at Old Trafford, especially as the 33-year-old is unlikely to discover a new patch of form.
The former Los Blancos midfielder is joined by a current player at the Santiago Bernabeu - Jude Bellingham. The England prodigy was one of the world's most sought-after talents before his move to the Spanish capital. Madrid had to pay a huge £88.5m to secure his signature, while an even more eye-watering £345,369 weekly sum lands in his bank account every week.
Bellingham's teammate, Vinicius Junior, completes the engine room. The left-winger earns the same figure as the Three Lions international, but could be in line to pocket even more as his current deal is set to expire in 2027. Although it would be a surprise to see the 24-year-old depart the Bernabeu, there is consistent interest in him from clubs in Saudi Arabia.
Highest-Paid XI in Europe - Midfielders
Position
RM
CM
CM
LM
Strikers
erling haaland
Combined, the forward line in this team earn just short of a staggering £1.05 million every week! Kylian Mbappe is the final Madrid star to grace this team, earning a staggering £518,137-per-week since moving from PSG to Spain in 2024. Widely regarded as one of the best players in the world, it's hardly a shock to see him paid such a ludicrous sum, but it's slightly surprising to see him only be the second highest-paid player in Europe.
That honour is bestowed upon Manchester City's Erling Haaland. Signing a contract extension until 2034 earlier in 2025, his weekly sum of £525,000-per-week reportedly has the potential to rise to an incredible £875,000. The Robot's ability to score goals at such an incredible rate makes him a precious commodity, so it's little surprise to see City tie him down to a contract which will expire by the time he is 33.
Highest-Paid XI in Europe - Strikers
Position
ST
ST
All information courtesy of Capology - Correct as of 02/09/2025