Yaya Touré Tops List of Highest-Paid African Footballers in 2014
Ivory Coast’s Yaya Touré has been confirmed as the highest-paid African footballer in 2014, following his contract extension with Manchester City earlier this year. The 31-year-old midfielder secured a four-year deal in April without renegotiating his impressive weekly salary, which remains at $334,000 (approximately €254,000).
Touré, a three-time African Player of the Year, earns an estimated €16.5 million annually, placing him among the world’s top-earning sports stars and securing him a spot in Forbes’ list of the 100 richest celebrities globally. His earnings far surpass those of fellow African stars, including Morocco’s Mehdi Benatia, who recently joined Bayern Munich and commands a salary of around €8 million per year.
Togolese striker Emmanuel Adebayor rounds out the top three, earning €6.5 million at Tottenham Hotspur.
Despite being in the latter stages of their careers, veterans Samuel Eto’o and Didier Drogba remain well-compensated. Eto’o, 33, receives €4.9 million at Everton, while Drogba earns €5.2 million at Chelsea, proving they continue to be valuable assets in European football.
Top 10 Highest-Paid African Footballers in 2014:
Yaya Touré (Ivory Coast), Manchester City – €13 million per year
Mehdi Benatia (Morocco), Bayern Munich – €8 million per year
Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo), Tottenham Hotspur – €6.5 million per year
Michael Essien (Ghana), AC Milan – €5.8 million per year
Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast), Chelsea – €5.2 million per year
Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon), Everton – €4.9 million per year
Kolo Touré (Ivory Coast), Liverpool – €4.9 million per year
John Obi Mikel (Nigeria), Chelsea – €4.4 million per year
Salomon Kalou (Ivory Coast), Hertha Berlin – €3.1 million per year
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon), Borussia Dortmund – €3 million per year
This list highlights the continued prominence of African talent in Europe’s top leagues, with many players commanding lucrative contracts that reflect their status and experience on the pitch.
