Messi, Mourinho highest paid in world football

Sydney, Mar. 22 (ANI): Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Real Madrid's Jose Mourinho are the highest paid player and manager in world football with combined annual salaries of just over 63 million Australian dollars.

Two-time world footballer of the year Messi's income from his salary and publicity deals in 2011 amounted to 31 million euros (44.28 million Australian dollars), while Real Madrid boss Mourinho topped the manager's rich list with an income of 13.5 million euros (19.28 million Australian dollars) according to France Football magazine.

Messi's income, while making him the top paid footballer in the world, still falls a long way short of Tiger Woods, who with a revenue of 53 million euros (75.7 million Australian dollars) is the highest paid sportsman of them all, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

Messi's nearest rival in the footballer's income stakes is Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo with 27.5 million euros (39.28 million Australian dollars), with Manchester United's Wayne Rooney in third with 20.7 million euros (29.57 million Australian dollars).

The English Premier League appears the most lucrative league of all with seven representatives in the top 20 list of highest paid players.

Two former Premier League stars, David Beckham and Thierry Henry, now playing in the MLS in the United States, are ranked fifth and 11th with salaries of 19 million euros (27.14 million Australian dollars) and 13.6 million euros (19.42 million Australian dollars) respectively.

Mourinho ranks ahead of Barcelona's Pep Guardiola with 10.5 million euros (15.0 million Australian dollars) and former Inter Milan coach Raphael Benitez 10.2 million euros (14.57 million Australian dollars).

England manager Fabio Capello comes in fourth with a salary of 8.5 million euros (12.14 million Australian dollars) in France Football's survey. (ANI)