Football is the most followed sport on the planet, while the players, who play the sport professionally earn whopping wages and generate substantial incomes through sponsorships, brand deals and endorsements thanks to their global popularity.
Famous footballers often flaunt their millions of net worth and lavish lifestyles, enjoying immense stardom — the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr. are leading the charts.
The majority of rich players have come from struggling and poverty-stricken backgrounds to make a name for themselves on the world stage and have managed to achieve remarkable success and wealth.
However, there are a few exceptions, those who defied the ‘rags-to-riches’ phrase and faced no such financial problems, even before becoming professional footballers.
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List of Rich Footballers who come from wealthy backgrounds
1. Robin van Persie
The former Dutch striker grew up in a wealthy household in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Robin van Persie’s father is a well-established sculptor and artist while his mother is a jewellery designer.
2. Gerard Piqué
The former Barcelona defender had an immensely successful career. However, Gerard Piqué’s father is a successful lawyer and businessman while his mother is the director of a hospital in Barcelona.
3. Hugo Lloris
The FIFA World Cup winner with France was born in a prosperous household. Hugo Lloris’ mother was an attorney and his father worked as an investment banker. He grew up in Nice, France.
4. Andrea Pirlo
The stylish Italian midfielder Andrea Pirlo is an icon of the game. His father Luigi Pirlo owns a steel company in Brescia — Pirlo is also a shareholder of this company.
5. Frank Lampard
Chelsea icon, Frank Lampard was born in London. His father Frank Richard was a footballer for West Ham United and he studied in Brentwood — one of the most prestigious places in England.
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6. Mario Götze
Götze’s father Jurgen is a professor at Dortmund University of Technology, due to his father’s academic profession Mario Götze had also lived in the United States.
7. Faiq Bolkiah
Faiq Bolkiah was born in Los Angeles and formerly played for Leicester City. He belongs to the Royal Family of Brunei due to his ancestral route. Faiq is the nephew of the ‘Sultan of Brunei’ with a reported net worth of 20 Billion USD.
8. Michael Doughty
Michael Doughty is the son of Nottingham Forest owner Nigel Doughty – one of the wealthiest names in the UK. Michael played for QPR and Swindon Town during his career.
9. Ricardo Kaká
Unlike most Brazilian stars, the Ballon d’Or winner belongs to a successful background — his father is a famous Civil engineer while his mother works as a teacher.
10. Will Hughes
The Crystal Palace player also comes from a privileged background, he attended the prestigious Repton School in Derbyshire — the boarding school that had some well-known alma maters.
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