Messi urges Barcelona not to change style

Lionel Messi has urged Barcelona to stick with their distinctive style of play, despite failing to win this season's Champions League.

Barcelona lost 7-0 on aggregate to German side Bayern Munich in the semi-finals of this year's competition.



That result led to suggestions that theCatalans' 'tiki-taka' passing game had been overtaken by the German power.

"We can't lose our heads. We can't change our style of play," the 25-year-old attacker told Television Azteca.

"You can't always win," added Argentina international Messi, the current World Player of the Year. "We've been playing our brand of football for years and managers and teams have studied it.

"We have to stay calm and focus on next year."

However, defender Gerard Pique thought the Spanish club would have to change and said: "We are not the best any more, other teams are."

Club vice-president Josep Bartomeu has also stated his belief that "four or five" new signings are required.



Despite their Champions League campaign ending in disappointment, Barca claimed the La Liga title back from Real Madridwith four games left to play.

This success came amid repeated health fears for head coach Tito Vilanova, who wassidelined for three months in December following an operation in New York to treat throat cancer.

Vilanova, 44, in his first season in sole charge of the club after moving up from assistant to replace former boss Pep Guardiola, has also travelled back to America this week for more "pioneering treatment".

Messi believed the coach's absence has had a destabilising effect on the team.

"Things went well with Tito, because he practically didn't change anything," said Messi.

"But we noticed a change when he left, not because Jordi Roura or the training staff who stayed on didn't do a good job but because we were missing our head manager.

"It wasn't the same. One year is a long time and it's great that we can finish it by celebrating."

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Messi likely to miss rest of the season

Barcelona star Lionel Messi is set to miss the rest of the season after tests revealed the extent of the damage to his right hamstring.



Messi initially suffered the injury in the first leg of a UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Paris St Germain and he has been in and out of the team ever since. He came off the bench to inspire a Barça win against Prais Saint-Germain in the Camp Nou return but looked a shadow of his brilliant best as the Spanish champions were hammered 4-0 in the first leg of their semi-final meeting with Bayern Munich.



He failed to make an appearance as Bayern duly completed a 7-0 aggregate win in Catalonia. Messi underwent a scan this morning with a Barça statement revealing the results.



It read: "Tests this Tuesday morning showed that Leo Messi has an elongation in the femoral biceps in his right leg. The expected absence is two to three weeks. How the injury evolves will determine the player's availability for future games."



Messi started Sunday's win at Atletico Madrid but limped off after 67 minutes after experiencing further problems with the injury. Barça's final game of the Liga season - they have already wrapped up the title - is scheduled for June 1 at home to Malaga.



It is unlikely Messi will be risked by Barca boss Tito Vilanova, especially as the 25-year-old will be needed by Argentina for their World Cup qualifying doubleheader against Colombia and Ecuador in June.



Messi has enjoyed another wonderful season in Spain, scoring 46 league goals - four short of the record-breaking tally of 50 he notched in 2011-12.


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Tito defends Messi call

Barcelona manager Tito Vilanova insisted he was right to play Lionel Messi at the weekend after the Argentine sat out the 3-0 defeat to Bayern Munich.

The World Player of the Year has been struggling with a hamstring injury, but he was passed fit to feature in Barca's 2-2 draw against Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.

However, Messi watched from the bench as Bayern cruised into the Champions League final with a 7-0 aggregate victory, and Vilanova admitted the Argentine was left out because he feared he would aggravate the injury.

"Leo played in Bilbao on Saturday because he felt better," said Vilanova. "He imprinted a change on the team but at the end of the game he felt some strange sensations.

"He trained this week, but he didn't feel right. He is an explosive player and there was a risk he could tear his hamstring, so he couldn't help the team in these conditions."

Vilanova also denied suggestions that his team were becoming too reliant on Messi, insisting Barca had performed well without their record-breaking talisman.

"All these years when we have played without Leo we have won games by small margins, but this year in the league we have won games 5-0 and 3-0 without him on the pitch," he added.

"When you have a player that is so good, it is normal that you notice it. If Bayern had been without Franck Ribery or Arjen Robben they would not be at this level."

Vilanova also dismissed speculation of widespread changes to the Barcelona squad at the end of the season, and blamed the crushing defeat on a lengthy injury list.

"All squads are reinforced every season. I said the other day that we didn't need to change much, but rather recuperate the players we do have," he said.



"Bayern have arrived at this point with all their players and we have many out. Despite the great squad that we have you cannot win all the titles either. You can't win everything and the first leg has weighed heavily on this game."


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Messi: We'll bounce back

Lionel Messi has insisted he was fit to face Bayern Munich and has vowed to help Barcelona respond to their heavy defeat in Germany.



The Spanish giants suffered a surprise 4-0 loss in their first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final and are now facing a huge uphill challenge to qualify.

Messi was a peripheral figure at the Allianz Arena and did not look as if he had recovered from the hamstring injury he suffered a just few weeks ago.

But the Argentine said: "I felt good. I was well enough to play. We have to lift ourselves for the second leg and La Liga. We will bounce back.

"They were a lot stronger than us, physically superior. It is a pity what happened but we have to move on."

Midfielder Xavi also remains adamant Barcelona have not given up hope of reaching the Champions League final at Wembley despite the odds being stacked against them.



"We are Barca and we have got to try to get to the final," said the Spaniard. "We need to play a great game but we know at the same time that it is practically impossible."


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Messi fires Bayern warning

Lionel Messi believes Bayern Munich will be more determined than ever to reach the Champions League final after their defeat last year.

Bayern endured the agony of a penalty shoot-out defeat to Chelsea in the 2012 final, which was played in their Allianz Arena home. Seemingly fuelled by the pain of that loss, Jupp Heynckes men have already wrapped up the Bundesliga title, reached the final of the DFB-Pokal cup competition and comfortably reached the last four of the Champions League once more. Barca meanwhile are playing in their sixth consecutive semi-final and take on Bayern knowing victory will give them a great chance of lifting the trophy for the third time in five seasons. Messi, who hopes to be fit to play after recovering from a hamstring injury, says Bayern are a stronger side than last year and believes their determination to make up for the Chelsea defeat makes them a threat. "Any opponent in these semi-finals would be hard, but Bayern this year have been very, very good," he told the Times of India. "They have been playing at a high level and scoring a lot of goals. "They will also have a lot of extra motivation after what happened at the end of the 2012 competition when they lost to Chelsea in their own field. "I think that their desire to win the title is even greater this time. And Bayern are stronger this year than last, in my opinion." Messi is integral to the chances of Barcelona reaching the final after hitting 53 goals in just 43 appearances this season. Should the Argentine feature at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday evening, then punters may want to use their free bet to back the Catalan side to progress. With great rivals Real Madrid facing Borussia Dortmund in the other semi-final, Messi admits the prospect of an 'El Clasico' final is a tantalising one, even if it is not spoken about openly among the players. "I do not speak of the final, Bayern only, and if we reach the final then we do not care who we play when we are there," he added. "But, a final at Wembley against Madrid would be a special game for many things and for many people. "If we face Madrid in the final then it will be a great show, that's for sure."




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Messi fit to face Bayern

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has recovered sufficiently from a hamstring strain in time to feature in Tuesday's Champions League semi-final first leg at Bayern Munich.



style="border-radius: 25px 25px 25px 25px; border: 5px solid rgb(204, 204, 204);" width="320" />The Argentine World Player of the Year sat out Saturday's 1-0 La Liga win at home to Levante and has not yet been given the all-clear by medical staff but was included in the squad for the clash at the Allianz Arena.



"Messi is with the team and he is able to compete, although that's a decision for the coaching staff," sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta said on Barca's website. "We will not forego having the best possible team on the pitch."

Barcelona will be without injured defenders Javier Mascherano and Carles Puyol, leaving them with a headache in deciding who will partner Gerard Pique at the centre of the defence.



Bayern will be without suspended striker Mario Mandzukic and injured midfielder Toni Kroos.

Barca host Bayern for the return leg on May 1 and the successful side will meet Borussia Dortmund or Real Madrid in next month's final at London's Wembley stadium.


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World's Best-Paid Football Players

Last year David Beckham made bigger bucks stripping to his skivvies than he did winning on the pitch. -->Lucrative endorsement deals, like his infamous underwear ad for H&M, made up nearly 90% of his 2012 haul. But good play still means good pay. Barcelona's Lionel Messi, four-time world player of the year, recently signed football's richest on-field contract. His salary, coupled with a coveted Adidas deal, could soon make him the top scorer off the field, too. In total the 20 best-paid football players in the world made $433 million last year. Figures are from salary, bonuses and sponsorships earned during the 2012 calendar year. To compile our list, we spoke with players, agents, talent agencies, commercial sponsors, football experts in the U.S. and Europe, and looked through sponsor filings.



1. David Beckham

Total earnings: $50.6 million

Age: 37

Club: Paris Saint-Germain

Country: United Kingdom

Major Sponsor(s): Adidas, Breitling, Coty, H&M, Sainsbury

One reason David Beckham agreed to donate to charity the salary he will earn during his current 5-month stay at Paris Saint-Germain? He can afford it. The 37-year old British midfielder had his best year in 2012 in terms of commercial endorsements, banking $44.1 million from sponsors including Adidas, Coty, H&M, Sainsbury and newest partner, Breitling. Off the pitch he won his second MLS cup with the Los Angeles Galaxy on his way to taking in another $6.5 million to earn a total of $50.6 million last year. Next continent to conquer is China. Becks signed a multi-year deal to become an ambassador for the Chinese Super League, a role which will see him make three trips in 2013 to the country and play an an exhibition game.



2. Cristiano Ronaldo

Total earnings: $43.5 million

Age: 28

Club: Real Madrid

Country: Portugal

Major Sponsor(s): Nike, Castrol, Clear Shampoo, Mobitti, Konami, Banco Espirito Santo

The 2012 runner-up world's best player of the year was proud enough to have his sponsor, Nike, commemorate his record 60 goals in 55 games last year by stitching both numbers (among other stats) into his boots. Contract extension talks with Real Madrid stalled prior to the start of the 2012/13 season over the player's share in his image rights. He currently splits them 60-40 with the club, known for usually taking 50 percent of a player's rights. The Portuguese winger has a lot at stake -- he currently earns $21.6 million of his total $43.5 million from sponsors. His current contract runs through the 2014/15 season.



3. Lionel Messi

Total earnings: $40.3 million

Age: 25

Club: Barcelona

Country: Argentina

Major Sponsor(s): Adidas, Pepsi, EA Sports, Head & Shoulders, Herbalife, Turkish Airlines, Dolce & Gabana

After scoring 91 goals in all competitions last year to break a 40-year-old world record held by Gerd Muller, Messi then won FIFA’s world player of the year award for a record fourth year in a row. Barcelona rewarded the 25-year old who started his career as a youth at the club with a record contract extension through 2018 that will pay him up to $21.2 million a year and make him the highest earner on-the-pitch. Adidas recently launched his icon signature line, only the second time they have done so for one of their brand ambassadors (the first was with David Beckham).



4. Sergio Aguero

Total earnings: $20.8 million

Age: 24

Club: Manchester City

Country: Argentina

Major Sponsor(s): Puma, Pepsi

Only halfway into his 2nd year on his current 5-year contract, Aguero is set to cash in again with a reported new 5-year deal with Man City -- an attempt to ward off suitors rumored to include Real Madrid. This despite the fact that his goal scoring this season is off top form from last season. Sponsor Puma found the Argentine, nicknamed 'Kun', has another talent and will feature it in a new commercial. The striker can sink a straight shot on the pool table.



5. Wayne Rooney

Total earnings: $20.3 million

Age: 27

Club: Manchester United

Country: United Kingdom

Major Sponsor(s): Nike, Harper Collins

Rooney appears at a crossroads in his career, during the middle of his current 5-year contract. His fate with Man U is constantly in the headlines with rumors that he's fallen out of favor with the club and manager Sir Alex Ferguson but that a hoped summer transfer is improbable due to his high salary. Off the pitch, sponsors are drying up. Most recently, EA Sports decided to end it's 7-year partnership with the striker. None of this has left Rooney at a loss for words though. His third book as part of his deal with Harper Collins title "My Decade In The Premier League" was published in September.



6. Yaya Toure

Total earnings: $20.2 million

Age: 29

Club: Manchester City

Country: Ivory Coast

Major Sponsor(s): Puma

The Ivory Coast midfielder signed a new contract with Man City at the beginning of this month with a slightly reduced basic wage but loaded with incentives tied to the team's success. This latest 4-year deal ties him up with the club through 2017 and is worth up to $20 million a year in salary and bonus that will keep him among the sports top earners on the pitch.



7. Fernando Torres

Total earnings: $20.2 million

Age: 29

Club: Chelsea

Country: Spain

Major Sponsor(s): Nike, Pepsi

Since joining Chelsea in January 2011, the Spanish striker has failed to live up to his past production at Liverpool which led to his near $80 million British record transfer fee. Not only has he been often left out of the Blues' starting lineup, his national team has recently overlooked him completely for international competition. Still this season in all competitions, he has scored 20 goals for his club. After opting to wear a pair of Adidas boots during a match in February, rumor swirled Torres may be making the switch from Nike at the end of this season.



8. Neymar

Total earnings: $19.5 million

Age: 21

Club: Santos

Country: Brazil

Major Sponsor(s): Nike, Konami, Panasonic, Red Bull, Santander, Unilver, Volkswagen

The young Brazilian superstar, already one of the most prolific scorers in the history of Santos, is on the verge of a popularity boom. He is touted as the complete package: young, skillful and good-looking. Speculation exists that a move to Spain -- most likely Barcelona -- is, if not imminent, inevitable. But the wonderkid is currently raking in the riches playing at home. Sponsors have lined up in anticipation of a move to a more globally marketed team and the 2014 World Cup where his country is expected to make him the face of the competition. In the past year his total earnings have more than doubled.



9. Ricardo Kaka

Total earnings: $19.3 million

Age: 30

Club: Real Madrid

Country: Brazil

Major Sponsor(s): Adidas, Pepsi

Once regarded as one of the best players in the world, the oft-injured and reserved Kaka is rumored to be scrambling to find a suitable home to play on a more regular basis than he currently does with Real Madrid. A loan to his former club AC Milan in January failed due to his high cost. His current club was said to want to recoup the nearly $91 million they paid to get him from the Serie A club in 2009 but was unable to work out a suitable deal. The player squashed reports that clubs in his native Brazil and the Los Angeles Galaxy are in the running for his services when he said he wants to remain in Europe ahead of the 2014 World Cup, in order to increase his chances of making his national team.



10. Didier Drogba

Total earnings: $17.8 million

Age: 35

Club: Galatasaray

Country: Ivory Coast

Major Sponsor(s): Nike, Pepsi

After eight years with Chelsea where he scored 157 goals in 341 appearances and helped them win 10 titles including their 2012 Champions League trophy, the Ivory Coast Striker signed in June 2012 with Shanghai Shenhua of the Chinese Super League which has been dogged by scandal and match-fixing. The two-and-a-half-year deal to pay him up to $300,000 a week turned into a six-month stint. The club's owners battled for control and Drogba went unpaid. In January Galatasaray signed him to an 18-month deal.



11. Steven Gerrard

Total earnings: $17.3 million

Age: 32

Club: Liverpool

Country: United Kingdom

Major Sponsor(s): Adidas

The Liverpool and England midfielder's current contract expires at the end of the 2013/14 season. It includes a role for him to remain as an ambassador for the Reds, the club he has been with since he was 8 years old. But the 32-year old doesn't seem keen on hanging up his boots in the next year. Contract negotiations are reportedly in the works to extend his playing days another 3 years. His sponsor Adidas celebrates his 100th England cap in November with a commemorative boot stitched with the accomplishment.



12. Emmanuel Adebayor

Total earnings: $16.7 million

Age: 29

Club: Tottenham Hotspur

Country: Togo

Major Sponsor(s): Adidas, Power Horse

Former African player of the year Adebayor made the permanent move to the Spurs in August after a year on loan from Man City. In order to complete the deal, City had to agree to pay the striker a $6 million payout to make up for the lower base salary he needed to take to fit with Tottenham's pay structure. His weekly wages dropped from $270,000 to $159,000.



13. Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Total earnings: $16.6 million

Age: 27

Club: Paris Saint-Germain

Country: Sweden

Major Sponsor(s): Nike, Bonnier

Following two seasons with AC Milan, including one on loan from Barcelona after a falling out with former coach Pep Guardiola, the Swedish striker signed for PSG in June 2012. He now leads the Ligue 1 in scoring with 26 goals and has helped position his club to take its first league title in two decades. His signing has been credited with the boost in television rights fees from foreign partners.



14. Carlos Tevez

Total earnings: $16.6 million

Age: 25

Club: Manchester City

Country: Argentina

Major Sponsor(s): Nike

Absent for much of the 2011/12 season due in part to behavioral issues (he jetted off to his homeland without permission), Tevez returned to City in March 2012 and helped contribute to their first league title in 44 years. His off-the-pitch problems persist though. In January he was banned six months from driving for speeding in his Hummer. In March he was caught behind of the wheel of his Porsche and sentenced to 250 hours of community. The undercurrent of drama that follows him have kept sponsors at bay.



15. Samuel Eto'o

Total earnings: $16 million

Age: 32

Club: Anzhi Makhachkala

Country: Cameroon

Major Sponsor(s): Puma

The Cameroon striker's bank account has flourished since signing an ultra-rich contract with Anzhi while his gameplay has fallen off the football radar in the underdeveloped Russian league. But that has not kept him from making headlines. He has lashed out at his native country's football association claiming they have siphoned his money and alleged they want him killed. He has recently backed out of Cameroon competition along with teammates, all citing injuries, and has said he sleeps with military police protection.



16. Samir Nasri

Total earnings: $15.7 million

Age: 25

Club: Manchester City

Country: France

Major Sponsor(s): Adidas

Since leaving Arsenal in August 2011 to sign a 4-year deal with City, the midfielder has often been criticized for his lack of production in relation to his high salary. Playing among an overcrowded talent pool for his position, he's been repeatedly on top of a list of players to leave the club this summer.



17. Frank Lampard

Total earnings: $15.7 million

Age: 34

Club: Chelsea

Country: United Kingdom

Major Sponsor(s): Adidas, Little Brown

Lampard's current contract with Chelsea expires in May. Real Madrid skipper Jose Mourinho who is targeted to take over the Blues from interim Rafa Benitez is reported to have said he will only do so if the 34-year old is retained. A deal with the Los Angeles Galaxy is said to still be on the table, worth $6 million a year. However with a spot on the 2014 World Cup national team on the line it is said Lamps has been warned not to leave European competition. His children's book, Frankie Versus The Pirate Pillagers, the first in a 5-book deal with Little Brown, will be published this upcoming June.



18. John Terry

Total earnings: $15.6 million

Age: 32

Club: Chelsea

Country: United Kingdom

Any sponsor that stuck around after allegations of Terry's extra-marital affair with a national teammate's girlfriend in 2010, abandoned him shortly after in 2012 when he was summons to British criminal court and an FA trial for racial abuse stemming from an incident involving Queens Park Rangers' Anton Ferdinand. He was acquitted by the former but admitted to uttering racial slurs which resulted in him being found guilty by the latter. Included in his lost deals was his $6.5 million a year contract with boot sponsor Umbro. Terry also resigned from the national team which he had twice captained. His playing contract with Chelsea is up at the end of the 2013/14 season.



19. David Silva

Total earnings: $15.4 million

Age: 27

Club: Manchester City

Country: Spain

Major Sponsor(s): Adidas

In September 2012 the midfielder signed a new 5-year contract with City that will pay him up to $16.5 million a year, a near 50% increase on his playing salary.



20. Karim Benzema

Total earnings: $14.9 million

Age: 25

Club: Real Madrid

Country: France

Major Sponsor(s): Adidas, Hyundai, EA Sports

The current two-time French player of the year has a contract with Real Madrid through the 2014/15 season. After rejecting a bid from Man U last summer, the striker is said to be uninterested in rumored talks with Juventus who wants to sign him this summer. Off the pitch, Benzema starred in a commercial for the much-anticipated FIFA 13 with Leo Messi.

In Pictures: Top 20 valuable clubs in the World.

Messi, Iniesta out of Zaragoza clash

Barcelona have left World Player of the Year Lionel Messi and the Spanish international trio of Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba out of their squad for their trip to Zaragoza on Sunday.



Messi played the final half hour of Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final second-leg against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday despite carrying a hamstring injury and, although his participation against the French side didn't aggravate the injury, he is expected to be rested until the first-leg of the semi-final clash against Bayern Munich on April 23.



Busquets has also been ruled out to a pelvic injury, whilst Iniesta and Alba's absences are purely down to the decision of the management staff.



The good news for the Azulgrana though was Adriano's return to training on Saturday and he has been included in the 18-man squad for the Zaragoza game.

Messi boost for Barca

Lionel Messi could be fit for Barcelona's Champions League quarter-final decider against Paris Saint-Germain after tests revealed his hamstring injury is not as bad as first feared.

Highlights: Paris SG vs. Barcelona

The four-time world player of the year limped off at half-time during Tuesday's 2-2 draw, prompting worries he had suffered a torn muscle that would end his season early.

He is certain to miss Saturday's La Liga clash with Mallorca but could yet feature in the return leg against Carlo Ancelotti's side at the Nou Camp on 10 April.

"The medical services of the club have confirmed after carrying out tests that Leo Messi has suffered a hamstring injury in his right leg," said a statement on Barcelona's official website on Wednesday.



"He is out of the league game on Saturday and his development will decide his availability for the games that follow."

Barcelona sweating on Messi

Barcelona are sweating on the fitness of star man Lionel Messi after he limped out of their 2-2 draw with Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final.

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Messi opened the scoring in the 38th minute but spent the final moments of the first half standing motionless by the touchline and was replaced at the interval by Cesc Fabregas.

The Argentina international will undergo a scan on a suspected hamstring injury in his right leg on Wednesday with the return meeting against PSG already on the horizon on April 10.

Defender Javier Mascherano is certain to miss the second leg after he was forced off in the closing stages at the Parc des Princes, with assistant coach Jordi Roura confirming the former Liverpool man is facing several weeks out.

Roura said: "I think it was a typical quarter-final and a good result but we deserved better. It comes at a price because we have lost Messi as well as Mascherano, who will be out for four to six weeks."

Messi's opener was cancelled out by Zlatan Ibrahimovic, with Xavi restoring Barcelona's advantage late on from the spot, only for Blaise Matuidi to snatch a last-gasp leveller.

Fabregas confirmed Messi had been left despondent by the injury, but has backed his team-mate to be back on the field as soon as possible.

"He is down, obviously, because he is injured," Fabregas told Sky Sports News. "He hasn't been injured for many years and has played a lot of football for the last five years, so he is sad obviously.

"I know him very well, so he will just want to recover as soon as possible."

He added: "It was a very good game, they are a very good side and have quality players. It is not a bad result but we scored in the final minute of the game so we expected to win, so we are a little bit sad.



"We play at home (in the second leg) we always have options there. But when you score in the last five or 10 minutes you want to defend well and then from a rebound we conceded so it was unfortunate."

Top Richest footballers in the World

Former Real Madrid striker Raul Gonzales is the richest Spanish footballer, according to a recent report run by Goal.com on the sport’s richest.

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Raul who nows players for Qatari side Al Sadd, after a spell with German club Schalke, is worth around €44m, beating Barcelona striker David Villa (€43m), Iker Casillas (€35m) and Fernando Torres (€29m).



Another former Los Blancos player, David Beckham is number one on the list, earning a staggering 200m euros, whilst Barca’s Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo sit second and third respectively.



Another Real Madrid player, Kaka is fourth on the list, whilst Ronaldinho, now playing Brazil sits fifth.



Full List



1. David Beckham (PSG) – 200 million euros



2. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) – € 134m



3. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) – € 130m



4. Kaká (Real Madrid) – € 80m



5. Ronaldinho (Atletico Mineiro) – € 73m



6. Samuel Eto’o (Anzhi Makhachkala) – € 60m



7. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) – € 58m



8. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (PSG) – € 55m



9. Rivaldo (Sao Caetano) – € 53m



10. Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United) – € 49m



11. Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls) – € 48m



12. Michael Owen (Stoke City) – € 46.5m



13. Raul Gonzalez (Al Sadd) – € 44m



14. David Villa (Barcelona) – € 43m



15. Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) – € 41m



16. Ryan Giggs (Manchester United) – € 40m



17. Frank Lampard (Chelsea) – € 38m



18. Robbie Fowler (no team) – € 37.5m



19. Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) – € 37m



20. Robinho (AC Milan) – € 36m



21. Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) – € 35m



22. Frank Ribery (Bayern Munich) – € 33.5m



23. John Terry (Chelsea) – € 31.5m



24. Didier Drogba (Galatasaray) – € 29m



25. Fernando Torres (Chelsea) – € 29m



26. Wesley Sneijder (Galatasaray) – € 25.5m



27. Nicolas Anelka (Juventus – transfer) – € 25m



28. Alessandro Del Piero (Sydney FC) – € 24.5m



29. Miroslav Klose (Lazio) – € 24m



30. Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) – € 24m



31. Francesco Totti (Roma) – € 24m



32. Petr Cech (Chelsea) – € 23m



33. Neymar (Santos) – € 23m



35. Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich) – € 23m



36. Joe Cole (West Ham United) – € 22.5m



37. Andrea Pirlo (Juventus) – € 22.5m



38. Paul Scholes (Manchester United) – € 22m



39. Damien Duff (Fulham) – € 21.5m



40. Park Ji-Sung (QPR) – € 21m



41. Daniele De Rossi (Roma) – € 21m



42. Clarence Seedorf (Botafogo) – € 21m



43. David Trezeguet (River Plate) – € 20m



44. Xavi (Barcelona) – € 20m



45. Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) – € 19.5m



46. Ashley Cole (Chelsea) – € 19.5m



47. Shunsuke Nakamura (Yokohama F Marinos) – € 19.5m



48. Michael Essien (Real Madrid – transfer) – € 19m



49. Yaya Toure (Manchester City) – € 19m



50. Alessandro Nesta (Montreal Impact) – € 18.5m

Barcelona win, Malaga stutter

Lionel Messi netted for the 17th consecutive league game as Barcelona eased to a 2-0 win at home to Deportivo La Coruna.

Barca have been suffering from a dip in form in recent weeks but defeat to their rock-bottom Galician opponents never looked likely.

Alexis Sanchez put the hosts in front when he headed home a Dani Alves cross towards the end of the first half.

And Messi, on as a second-half substitute, added a glorious second with just minutes remaining by chipping goalkeeper Daniel Aranzubia to consign Depor to a seventh defeat in eight games.

Malaga had earlier failed to beat Valladolid and their 1-1 draw at the Jose Zorilla stadium and that result could see them slip out of the Champions League places by the end of the weekend.

Manuel Pellegrini rested key performers Isco and Joaquin with Wednesday's Champions League last-16 second-leg match with Porto in mind.

His team still got off to a great start when Martin Demichelis headed them into the lead after eight minutes but Manucho equalised for the hosts shortly before the interval.

A point apiece means Valladolid stay mid-table but Malaga could surrender their grip on fourth spot if Valencia win on Sunday.

Elsewhere Rayo Vallecano continued their unlikely push for a Champions League spot as they completed a comfortable 2-0 win at home to Espanyol.

An early goal inside 10 minutes by Chori Dominguez gave the Madrid side the perfect start and Piti wrapped up the points late on to move Rayo within two points of the top four.

The win all but guarantees Rayo survival with 11 games left, a welcome contrast from last term when they only avoided the drop thanks to an injury-time winner on the last day of the season.

Javier Aguirre's side have now gone three matches without a win but remain nine points clear of the drop zone.

In the late kick-off, Mallorca secured a vital 2-1 win over Sevilla to boost their survival hopes and move within a point of safety.

Alejandro Alfaro was the hero for the home side as he scored both goals to give the Balearic Island side their first back-to-back wins of the season.

Alvaro Negredo had equalised Alfaro's early opener on the hour mark but the 26-year-old winger added a second just 10 minutes later to sink his home-town club at which he started his career.

Mallorca had Javier Marquez sent off for a second yellow card in stoppage time but the strugglers held on to move above Celta Vigo into 18th place.

Messi: "People are hoping we lose"

Leo Messi spoke to ESPN earlier ahead of Barcelona's game against AC Milan, saying that: "A lot of people are hoping we lose so they can say that this Barcelona side is finished, just like what happened last year. We have to be strong".



"It's time to make a comeback. It all started in the Milan game and this game could be the one where we finish it. We know it will be difficult because of the negative result in Italy, but there's no reason why we can’t win by the same score-line. We know one goal against us would make things difficult, but we can't worry too much about that. We are confident we can turn it around", the Argentine said in reference to the match against Milan at the Camp Nou.



Messi went on to say that: "The team has been affected by the negative results, but now is the time to pick ourselves up and get back to winning ways. That is what has been missing on the pitch".



The Argentine star described the atmosphere within the club when times are hard on the pitch: "That's the way this club is. When you lose a couple of games it seems everything is not working and when you win a couple, things are back to normal. We know this and a lot of the players have been at the club from an early age. It's crazy to be talking about making changes. Most are young players. The players are optimistic and really want to turn around the 2-0 result".

Messi keen on Bale and Rooney

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has hinted he would relish the prospect of playing alongside Premier League stars Gareth Bale and Wayne Rooney.



Rooney was omitted from the Manchester United line-up against Real Madrid on Tuesday night, sparking frenzied speculation about his future at Old Trafford.



While Bale is among the most in-demand players in Europe after scoring 24 goals for club and country so far this season.



Messi admits he would welcome the chance to play in the same team as either player in the future.



"Wayne Rooney and Gareth Bale are both great players, they are doing so well for their clubs," the 25-year-old Argentine forward told the Daily Mail.



"And I always want to play with the best players.



"I have to be careful what I say because I can't see them leaving their teams soon.



"But, of course, I want to play with the best players."

Messi left foot worth £3.5m

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has lifted many gold trophies, including two Golden Boots. Now the prolific goal-scorer's foot has been cast in solid gold.

A pure gold replica of Barcelona football star Lionel Messi's left foot, worth £3.4 million, was unveiled in Tokyo on Wednesday.

Valued at US$5.25 million (£3.4m), the golden foot weighs 25kg and is 10 inches tall.

In a video message, Lionel Messi said he was honoured to have his foot cast the precious metal.

Lionel Messi's brother, Rodrigo Messi, who attended the news conference for the unveiling of the foot, said the replica was exceptional.

"You can see each line on the foot. Its an impressive piece of work," Rodrigo said.

The foot was created by Japanese jeweller Ginza Tanaka to commemorate the football player's achievements.

The jeweller said it had cast Messi's foot in Spain at the end of 2012, and brought the cast back to Japan for the production of the golden artifact.

The foot will go on sale on Thursday, and will come with an official certification issued by the Leo Messi Foundation, which helps children at risk around the world.



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