Football
Top 10 highest-paid Goalkeepers in the World 2024
Strikers are often the highest-paid footballers, but great goalkeepers demand a big salary, too. Who are the top 10 highest-paid goalkeepers in the world? Find out here!
Image Credits: Amin Mohammad Jamali/Getty Images
There are few elite goalkeepers in world football, but the best players earn millions of pounds a year. The best goalkeepers earn as much as the best-paid players in their teams and leagues. The top 10 highest-paid goalkeepers come from the Bundesliga, La Liga, Ligue 1, and the Saudi Pro League. None of the ten best-paid ‘keepers come from the English Premier League (EPL).
Ederson and Alisson Becker, the two best goalkeepers in the Premier League, are not featured on the 2024 list of top earners. Ederson, arguably the best goalkeeper in Premier League history, only earns £100,000 per week (£5,2m/year). Alisson earns £150,000 per week (£7,9m/year) at Liverpool, making him the highest-paid goalkeeper in the Premier League.
SportsBoom has compiled a list of the top 10 highest-paid goalkeepers in the world in 2024. La Liga tops the chart with three of the best-paid glovemen. The Bundesliga, Ligue 1, and the Saudi Pro League each have two ‘keepers making top dollar between the posts. Some of the best goalies in world football miss out, and there are some surprising names in the high-earners bracket.
List of 10 Highest-Paid Goalkeepers in World Football
| Rank | Player | Club | Per Week | Per Year |
| 1 | Manuel Neuer | Bayern Munich | £353,577 | £18,4m |
| 2 | Jan Oblak | Atlético Madrid | £350,715 | £18,2m |
| 3 | Thibaut Courtois | Real Madrid | £252,555 | £13,1m |
| 4 | Gianluigi Donnarumma | Paris Saint-Germain | £214,335 | £11,1m |
| 5 | Wojciech Szczęsny | Juventus | £202,717 | £10,5m |
| 6 | Edouard Mendy | Al-Ahli | £185,207 | £9,6m |
| 7 | Keylor Navas | Paris Saint-Germain | £183,692 | £9,5m |
| 8 | Yassine Bounou | Al-Hilal | £168,370 | £8,8m |
| 9 | Kepa Arrizabalaga | Real Madrid (loan) | £151,533 | £7,9m |
| 10 | Gregor Kobel | Borussia Dortmund | £151,533 | £7,9m |
*Salaries are paid by clubs. Endorsements & image rights earnings are undisclosed.
10. Gregor Kobel | Borussia Dortmund | Switzerland | Major Honours: 0
(2023/24 UEFA Champions League runner-up)
Gregor Kobel has had two superb seasons in the Bundesliga for Borussia Dortmund. Dortmund lost to Real Madrid in the UCL final in 2023/24. Kobel has won back-to-back Bundesliga Team of the Season awards in 2022/23 and 23/24 and made the Champions League Team of the Season in 2024. Dortmund is getting value for their money because the Swiss gloveman is in his prime.
9. Kepa Arrizabalaga | Spain | Real Madrid (loan) | Major Honours: 8*
(1x UEFA Nations League,* 1x La Liga, 2x UEFA Champions League,* 1x FIFA Club World Cup,* 1x UEFA Europa League, 1x UEFA Super Cup, 1x Supercopa de España)
Kepa Arrizabalaga has eight major honours. However, he won some of his trophies as a backup goalkeeper. He did not play in the knockout matches in the UEFA Nations League or the UEFA Champions League final wins for Chelsea or Real Madrid, the FIFA Club World Cup. Arrizabalaga saved two penalties when Chelsea beat Villarreal in the 2021 UEFA Super Cup final after coming on in the last minute as a substitute for Édouard Mendy.
8. Yassine Bounou | Morocco | Al-Hilal | Major Honours: 8*
(1x La Liga*, 1x Botola Pro, 1x Saudi Pro League, 2x UEFA Europa League*, 1x Supercopa de España, 1x Kings cup, 1x Saudi Super Cup)
Yassine Bounou is one of two ‘rich list’ goalkeepers who have won league titles on two continents. The Moroccan is credited with a La Liga and two (UEL) Europa League titles while at Atlético Madrid and Sevilla, respectively.
Image Credits:Антон Зайцев
6. Édouard Mendy | Senegal | Al-Ahli | Major Honours: 4
(1x AFCON African Cup of Nations, 1x UEFA Champions League, 1x FIFA Club World Cup, 1x UEFA Super Cup)
Mendy won the 2021 African Cup of Nations, Champions League, and Club World Cup. Mendy, Donnarumma, and Navas are the only goalkeepers to win an international continental trophy.
Image Credits: Vyacheslav Evdokimov
5. Wojciech Szczęsny | Poland | Juventus | Major Honours: 10
(3x Serie A, 3x Coppa Italia, 2x Supercoppa Italia, 2x FA Cup)
Wojciech Szczęsny is the only Polish player to make the highest-paid goalkeepers list. He has ten major honours from his time in Italy and England. Szczęsny has won all Italian domestic honours in Turin, including three scudettos with Juventus.
4. Gianluigi Donnarumma | Italy | Paris Saint-Germain | Major Honours: 8
(1x 2020 UEFA European Championship (EUROS), 3x Ligue 1, 1x Coupe de France, 2x Trophée des Champions, 1x Supercoppa Italiana)
Donnarumma is the fourth-highest-paid goalkeeper in the world. The Italian is one of the best ‘keepers in the world and the third-most decorated on the high earners’ list. He is the only Italian to make the top 10 list and the only one to win a UEFA European Championship. Donnarumma’s heroics in EURO 2020 in the penalty shootout against England won Italy their second European Championship.
Image Credits: Эдгар Брещанов
3. Thibaut Courtois | Belgium | Real Madrid | Major Honours: 19
(4x La Liga, 2x Premier League, 1x Belgium Pro League, 2x UEFA Champions League, 1x FIFA Club World Cup, 1x Europa League, 2x UEFA Super Cup, 2x Copa del Rey, 2x Supercopa de España, 1x FA Cup, 1x EFL League Cup)
Courtois is the only gloveman to rival Neuer for club honours. The Belgium shot-stopper is one of two of the top 10 highest-paid goalkeepers in the world to win league titles in three countries. Courtois equals Neuer for Champions League, Club World Cup and Super Cup titles. Courtois has a Europa League and two domestic cup titles in Spain and England. He is the only goalkeeper on the list to win the English Premier League.
2. Jan Oblak | Slovenia | Atlético Madrid | Major Honours: 7
(1x Primeira Liga, 1x La Liga, 1x UEFA Europa League, 1x UEFA Super Cup, 1x Taça de Portugal, 1x Taça de Liga, 1x Supercopa de España)
Oblak has also won league and domestic cup honours in different countries. He has titles in Portugal and Spain and two UEFA trophies in his cabinet. Oblak might not have as much silverware as other goalkeepers, but he is world-class.
1. Manuel Neuer | Germany | Bayern Munich | Major Honours: 31
(1x 2014 FIFA World Cup, 11x Bundesliga, 2x UEFA Champions League, 2x FIFA Club World Cup, 2x UEFA Super Cup, 6x DFB-Pokal, 6x DFL-Supercup, 1x DFL-Ligapokal)
Manuel Neuer is the highest-paid goalkeeper in the world. He is the most decorated player on the ten highest earners’ list and the only ‘keeper to win the FIFA World Cup and multiple FIFA Club World Cup titles. Neuer is also a 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship winner. The German has more league titles than any goalkeeper playing in Europe’s ‘big five’ leagues.
Image Credit: Rayand
Kaylan Geekie is a sports fanatic. He attended Durban High School before moving to Scotland, where he lived for 15 years. During his time in the United Kingdom, Kaylan graduated with a first-class BA Honours Degree in Sports Journalism at the University of the West of Scotland. Kaylan worked for nine years as the Match-Day Editor of SuperXV.com, reporting on Super Rugby, The Rugby Championship, the 2015 Men's Rugby World Cup and the 2017 British & Irish Lions series for the website.