As of 2025, the landscape of African footballers’ earnings has seen significant changes, especially with several top players moving to clubs in the Saudi Pro League, which offers lucrative contracts. Here are some of the highest-paid African footballers of all time, based on their weekly wages:
- Riyad Mahrez (Algeria)
- Club: Al-Ahli (Saudi Pro League)
- Weekly Wage: £865,000
- Details: Mahrez’s move from Manchester City to Al-Ahli in 2024 made him the highest-paid African footballer, with a substantial weekly salary.
- Sadio Mané (Senegal)
- Club: Al-Nassr (Saudi Pro League)
- Weekly Wage: £650,000
- Details: After a successful stint at Bayern Munich, Mané joined Al-Nassr, securing a significant increase in his earnings.
- Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal)
- Club: Al-Hilal (Saudi Pro League)
- Weekly Wage: £575,000
- Details: The Senegalese defender transferred from Chelsea to Al-Hilal, becoming one of the highest-paid defenders globally.
- Franck Kessié (Ivory Coast)
- Club: Al-Ahli (Saudi Pro League)
- Weekly Wage: £500,000
- Details: Kessié’s move from Barcelona to Al-Ahli in 2024 significantly boosted his earnings.
- Mohamed Salah (Egypt)
- Club: Liverpool FC (Premier League)
- Weekly Wage: £400,000
- Details: Salah remains one of the highest-paid players in the Premier League, reflecting his importance to Liverpool.
- Édouard Mendy (Senegal)
- Club: Al-Ahli (Saudi Pro League)
- Weekly Wage: £300,000
- Details: The goalkeeper’s transfer from Chelsea to Al-Ahli saw his wages increase substantially.
- André Onana (Cameroon)
- Club: Manchester United (Premier League)
- Weekly Wage: £200,000
- Details: Onana’s move to Manchester United made him one of the highest-paid African goalkeepers.
- Thomas Partey (Ghana)
- Club: Arsenal FC (Premier League)
- Weekly Wage: £200,000
- Details: Partey’s earnings reflect his key role in Arsenal’s midfield.
- Achraf Hakimi (Morocco)
- Club: Paris Saint-Germain (Ligue 1)
- Weekly Wage: £176,000
- Details: Hakimi is among the top earners at PSG, highlighting his status as one of the best full-backs in the world.
- Wilfried Zaha (Ivory Coast)
- Club: Galatasaray (Turkish Süper Lig)
- Weekly Wage: £165,000
- Details: Zaha’s move to Galatasaray in 2024 came with a significant wage increase.
These figures illustrate the substantial financial rewards that top African footballers have achieved, especially with the recent trend of players moving to the Saudi Pro League, which has dramatically increased the earning potential for footballers worldwide.
