Andrea Pirlo Highest-Paid Footballer in the World

It's been a rough year for the footballer, but at least he has his millions of dollars to ease the pain. 46-year-old Andrea Pirlo has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid footballers for 2026 with an estimated $46 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 24/03/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Andrea Pirlo tops annual list of highest-paid footballers

In 2023 it looked like the footballer’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, he was back on top. People With Money reports on Monday (March 23) that Pirlo is the highest-paid footballer in the world, pulling in an astonishing $46 million between February 2025 and February 2026, a nearly $20 million lead over his closest competition.

People With Money’s factors

In compiling this yearly list, the magazine considers factors such as upfront pay, profit participation, residuals, endorsements and advertising work.

The Italian footballer-coach has an estimated net worth of $145 million. He owes his fortune to smart stock investments, substantial property holdings, lucrative endorsement deals with CoverGirl cosmetics. He also owns several restaurants (the “Fat Pirlo Burger” chain) in Rome, a Football Team (the “Flero Angels”), has launched his own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderpirlo - Italy), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Andrea) and a fashion line called “Andrea Pirlo Seduction”.

The ranking is significant for many Andrea fans, who have been waiting for his triumphant return to the glory days for what seems like a lifetime.

© 2026 MediaMass All rights reserved. Do not reproduce (even with permission).

Celebrity Central