Wilfried Zaha 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. 33-year-old Wilfried Zaha 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 20/03/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Wilfried Zaha 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 Thursday (March 19) that Zaha 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 English footballer 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 Zaha Burger” chain) in London, a Football Team (the “Abidjan Angels”), has launched his own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderzaha - England), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Wilfried) and a fashion line called “Wilfried Zaha Seduction”.

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

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