Who do you think is the most paid Nigerian athlete? Test your footballing knowledge on betting sites with registration bonus. If you can’t predict, that’s good, because we have the answer for you.
Athletes usually portray flashy lifestyles on social media, while others are down to earth. One common thing about both carders is their cashing-in ability. Every season, players sign mouthwatering deals that see them earn billions of Naira.
We dive into the highest-earning Nigerian athletes that ply their trades mostly in the top-flight European football leagues.
10. Alex Iwobi
An extremely skillful winger known for his antics earns €50,000 a week. The talented dribbler plays for Everton in the middle of the park but is also favored on the right-wing. Iwobi’s official name is Alexander Chuka Iwobi.
9. Ahmed Musa
The former Leicester man moved to Saudi football outfit Al Nassr FC. He earns €60,000 per week.
8. Kelechi Iheanacho
Senior man Kelechi as his Leicester teammates like to call him, earns €60,000 weekly. He signed a deal that keeps him with the Fixes until 2024. Kelechi is known for his dramatic finishes in the game’s dying minutes and a killer instinct for goal when he starts. Iheanacho doesn’t need too many chances to score and deservedly earns a spot among the Premier League athletes hailing from Nigeria.
7. Wilfred Ndidi
Kelechi’s Leicester counterpart, who marshalls the midfield, earns €75,000 per week. Onyinye Wilfred Ndidi scores rocket goals for fun and gets paid for it. Ndidi is certainly one of the best defensive midfielders in England and the world.
6. John Obi Mikel
Obi Mikel, famed for his pivotal role in the heart of Jose Mourinho’s Park the Bus system, is a Nigerian football household name. The 34-year-old currently plays for Al Ain. However, he rose to stardom in Chelsea. Prior he had a controversial transfer from Lyn involving Manchester United and Chelsea.
Obi Mikel has won the Premier League, Super Cup, Europa League, and Champions League as the most famous trophies under his belt. He has recently moved clubs from Trabzonspor, Stoke, and Al Kuwait SC to Al Ain. The last salary report for John Obi Mikel was $4 million, playing for Al Kuwait. The figure translates to 1.6 billion nairas annually. Mikel’s net worth is in the region of $59 million.
5. Victor Osimhen
The Napoli star man is the highest paid young Nigerian footballer. The 22-year-old earns €100,000 per week. He is the target man for the Italian outfit but hasn’t replicated his successes in LOSC Lille.
4. Victor Moses
A former blues wingback and a crucial cog in Antonio Conte’s machine, the Spartak Moscow player earns €110,000 per week. He played for Inter Milan under his former Chelsea boss but didn’t cement himself as a starter. He is one of the richest Nigerian athletes and increases his earnings. He is the highest-paid Nigerian footballer in Europe, only bettered by Ighalo, who plays in Asia.
3. Odion Ighalo
Odion Ighalo
Odion Jude Ighalo plays for Al-Hilal in Asia. After a shock move to United, the former Manchester United striker made headlines, seeing his pay slashed from €300,000 per week to €130,000. However, his move to Al Shabab saw his salary rise to €160,000.
Ighalo had a debacle with the Al Shabab side, and he moved to Al Hilal after the former accepted the bid of around 2.7 billion nairas. The deal saw his salary better, but no official records suggest the exact figure. Ighalo is a money man whose $23 million net worth says it all.
2. Israel Adesanya
Recently, Adesanya inked one of the most lucrative contracts in UFC. The 32-year-old is the second highest-earning player after Conor McGregor, who earned $100 million over a six-fight contract. Adesanya’s comments echo the life-changing cash he will earn from the deal. “I’m just a guy who deals with my dealings with the UFC behind the scenes, and I’m glad we can come to an agreement with this new deal.
“I look forward to this effect trickling down to the rest of the fighters,” said Adesanya.
While he didn’t disclose the wage, we can predict it is only a few million dollars short of McGregor’s deal with whom they share the same management company, Paradigm Sports. He deserves a spot as one of the top-grossing athletes.
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo
We all can remember the Nigerian-Greek NBA star clinching last season’s MVP. Gianni’s career has risen to new heights like his second name. Gianni’s 50 point showdown won his team, the Milwaukee Bucks, the first NBA Championship in half a century.
The 26-year-old signed a new deal with the Bucks to see him take home $228.2 million over the next five years.
Final Words
It would seem that the footballers would carry the day. Basketball and other sports provide more earning opportunities for our talented Nigerian lads. You can keep tabs on your favorite players, their earnings, performance and place bets on them.
