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LONDION. — Lionel Messi is the highest-paid player in the world after banking nearly £1 million a week last year.

France Football’s annual survey of wages reckons the Barcelona star earns over £26m in his basic salary before bonuses.

And the Argentine earns almost the same again in commercial deals with blue-chip sponsors like adidas, FIFA 15 and Turkish Airline to take his total annual income to £47,8m.

Cristiano Ronaldo is second with earnings on £39,7m with Neymar completing the top three of Spanish-based players on £26,8m.

The highest ranked player in the English Premier League is Robin Van Persie in fifth place, who had a basic salary of £11,8m with bonuses of £5m.

Commercial revenue took his total earning to £18,8m. He is one place ahead of Gareth Bale (£17,5m) and two in front of Wayne Rooney (£16,5m).

Sergio Aguero (£15,5m) is also in the top ten with Eden Hazard and Yaya Toure both earning £14,7m.

Jose Mourinho is the highest paid coach in the world with his £10m Chelsea salary and £3,2m in commercial revenue.

Arsene Wenger (£8,3m) and Louis Van Gaal (£7,3m) are also in the top ten along with Zenit’s Andre Villas Boas (£6,25m) and David Moyes (£5,14m) now at Real Sociedad. — The Mirror.