CHAMPIONS LEAGUE footballers tend to earn a pretty penny for their work on the pitch.
But some can rake in just as much without even kicking a ball.
Europe’s most popular players can earn tens of thousands of pounds just by posting on Instagram.
A new study from Japan-101 looks at the potential social media earnings for some of the biggest stars in the Champions League.
But just three Premier League players have made the cut.
10 – Casemiro
The five-time Champions League winner joined Manchester United as one of the best midfielders in Europe last summer.
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Although he has struggled to hit the ground running this season, Casemiro still has a huge army of loyal supporters – many of whom have loved him since his Real Madrid days.
With 22.2million Instagram followers, the Brazilian has the potential to earn £10,617 with a single sponsored post.
9 – Kevin De Bruyne
Widely considered as one of the best players in the world, De Bruyne picked up his first-ever Champions League trophy just last season.
He was one of the main men during Manchester City’s treble-winning campaign, also earning a spot in the PFA Team of the Year.
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The midfielder has 24.3m followers on Instagram, meaning he could pick up an additional £12,818 with a sponsored post.
8 – Luka Modric
With five Champions League titles, three LaLiga titles, a FIFA Best award for Player of the Year and a Ballon d’Or to his name, Modric has become one of the most popular players in Europe with 33.3m Instagram followers.
Should he decide to do a sponsored post he could earn up to £18,921, according to the study.
7 – Robert Lewandowski
Lewandowski shot to stardom when he joined Borussia Dortmund in 2010, but established himself as one of the world’s best strikers during his time at Bayern Munich.
He controversially missed out on winning the Ballon d’Or in 2020, when he scored an astonishing 55 goals and provided 10 assists in 47 games.
Over the years he has accumulated 35.5m followers, meaning he could earn £20,326 per sponsored Instagram post.
6 – Erling Haaland
Arguably the Premier League’s most popular player right now, Haaland has 36.3m followers on Instagram.
That means the 23-year-old treble winner has the potential to earn £11,333 from a post.
5 – Antoine Griezmann
The Frenchman has been among Europe’s elite since joining Atletico Madrid nine years ago.
He experienced a huge dip in form after joining Barcelona in 2019, but returned to his best after re-joining Atletico last summer.
Also a World Cup winner, Griezmann has an impressive 41.3m Instagram followers.
The study suggests that he could earn a huge £31,730 per sponsored post as a result.
4 – Toni Kroos
Kroos is one of the most decorated players in world football, with five Champions League titles, three Bundesliga titles, three La Liga titles and a World Cup to his name.
His outstanding career has seen him become one of Europe’s most popular players.
The midfielder has 43.2m loyal followers, meaning he could earn £27,480 per sponsored post.
3 – Paul Pogba
The Frenchman shot to stardom during his first stint with Juventus.
He then made a blockbuster £89m return to Man Utd, but struggled to hit the ground running.
Pogba went back to Juventus on a free transfer last summer after his contract at Old Trafford expired, but various injury issues have limited his game time.
At the peak of his career, the World Cup-winning midfielder established himself as one of the biggest personalities in football.
That translated into a huge Instagram following, meaning he has the potential of earning over £50,000 per sponsored post.
2 – Sergio Ramos
The defender is widely regarded as a legend – especially in Spain.
He has won two European Championships, the World Cup, four Champions League titles, five La Liga titles and two Ligue 1 titles since breaking onto the scene, making him one of the most decorated players of all-time.
Ramos spent 16 years with Real Madrid before leaving for Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.
Following two years in France he decided to move again, but despite receiving some lucrative offers from Saudi Arabia, he returned to boyhood club Sevilla.
With 61.9m Instagram followers, Ramos could earn £48,208 per post.
1 – Kylian Mbappe
At the age of just 24, Mbappe has a staggering 109m Instagram followers.
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The World Cup winner’s success on the pitch has translated into a huge fan base.
The Frenchman – who tops the Champions League’s Instagram rich list – could make an eye-watering £76,465 per sponsored post.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
