Salary/Winnings: $51.8m Endorsements: $22m Here's a simple stat which should demonstrate just how valuable Lionel Messi is to Barcelona: he is paid over $50m a year. The Argentinian continues to rack up the plaudits, and recently won his fourth Ballon d'Or award for his incredible success over the course of the year - one which saw his team scoop league, cup, and Champions League titles. Messi's no slouch in terms of endorsements either. It makes sense that 2015's best footballer would have lucrative contracts coming out of his ears, and although he isn't an endorsement giant such as Phil Mickelson, Roger Federer or LeBron James, he's currently reaping the benefits of deals with Samsung and Adidas (to the tune of $22m).
