The 2014 World Cup begins Thursday when Brazil takes on Croatia in São Paolo.
In honor of the summer's best sporting event, Wealth-X determined the 10 richest soccer players that will be lacing up their boots in Brazil.
Although the two wealthiest players in the world play in La Liga, six of the 10 players play in the English Premier League.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo — $230 million
National team: Portugal
Club team: Real Madrid
Why he's so rich: Ronaldo earned $44 million last year and will make $23 million per year with Real Madrid until 2018. Off the field, Ronaldo cashes in $21 million per year in endorsements from Nike ($8 million per year), Herbalife, Samsung, Catrol, and others.
#2 Lionel Messi — $180 million
National team: Argentina
Club team: FC Barcelona
Why he's so rich: Messi cashed in $41.3 million last year and just signed a new deal with his club that will guarantee him $27 million a year. He also earns $23 million per year in endorsements and sponsorships with Gillette, Samsung, Gatorade, and Adidas.
# 3 Wayne Rooney — $95 million
National team: England
Club team: Manchester United
Why he's so rich: Rooney recently signed a new contract with Manchester United for $26 million a year. He also earns $4 million a year from deals with Nike, Samsung, and Harper Collins.
Sources: Daily Mail, Forbes
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