Ligue 1 is considered the top national football league in France and is home to several leading clubs in Europe. Among them, Paris Saint-Germain—the reigning champion—stands out prominently. With its financial might, PSG easily dominates Ligue 1 and is also known for offering some of the most lucrative contracts to its players. Notable players who have played for PSG include Mbappé and Hakimi. In this article, let's take a look at the Top 10 Highest paid Ligue 1 players in history, as compiled by Wintips admin.
Top 10 Highest paid Ligue 1 players in history
1. Kylian Mbappé (€1,384,615) - One of the highest paid Ligue 1 players
The French forward Kylian Mbappé is currently one of the most prominent names in football. He plays as a forward for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in Ligue 1 and is also the captain of the French national team.
Mbappé is one of the most sought-after and highest-paid players in the world. He is known for being PSG’s top scorer and providing numerous assists in the league. Mbappé is valued at €180 million and earns a weekly wage of €1,384,615. His contract with PSG is set to expire in 2024. In a recent interview, Mbappé stated that he plans to announce his future decision before EURO 2024 begins.
Having previously declared his intention to leave PSG, the 25-year-old French forward is almost certain to be playing for a new club next season. Many speculate that Real Madrid will be his next club or the next step in his career. Real Madrid's president, Florentino Perez, has reportedly already planned a grand introduction for Mbappé. Perez plans to have the French forward unveiled during the celebration of Real Madrid's 36th La Liga title.
2. Ousmane Dembele (€384,615)
Despite Dembélé’s ups and downs at Barcelona, PSG still made a reasonable decision by activating the €50 million release clause in his contract. After two injury-plagued years, the French player has made significant progress under Xavi's management.
Dembele was among the most outstanding wingers in La Liga before making his move to PSG. Over his last two seasons at Camp Nou, he scored 10 goals and provided 22 assists. His on-field chemistry with Robert Lewandowski played a key role in Barcelona's La Liga triumph last season. After a long period of development, Dembele has learned to make better decisions, or at the very least, simplify his playing style. Barcelona had moments when they struggled without him on the wing.
3. Lucas Hernandez (€365,385)
Bayern Munich sold their most expensive signing in history, Lucas Hernandez, to Paris Saint-Germain for a financial loss. With only one year remaining on his contract and unwilling to extend, the 2018 World Cup champion opted to leave Allianz Arena in pursuit of new experiences in the 'City of Lights.'
At PSG, a dream defensive trio has been formed, with Milan Skriniar and Lucas Hernandez joining the club at Parc des Princes. These two outstanding newcomers will line up alongside captain Marquinhos in a three-man defensive setup ahead of goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Additionally, the French international can also play as a left-back, in addition to his role as a center-back, which he has fulfilled for Les Bleus for a long time.
4. Marquinhos (€323,077) - One of the highest paid Ligue 1 players
Unlike legends such as Thiago Silva and Edinson Cavani, or high-priced stars like Neymar, Mbappé, and Messi, center-back Marquinhos is the true icon of PSG. The Brazilian star arrived in Paris at the age of 18 and has remained at the club more out of loyalty and passion than financial incentives.
Marquinhos has never been hesitant to express that sentiment in front of the cameras and has never been unclear about his future, despite interest from traditional giants across Europe, including Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Bayern Munich. That’s what makes Marquinhos special. He didn’t join PSG as a well-established star but as a promising young talent. Before that, Marquinhos had only played one season in Europe, wearing the shirt of the less renowned Roma.
5. Milan Skriniar (€314,615) - One of the highest paid Ligue 1 players
Slovakia's national team captain Milan Skriniar was one of PSG’s first signings in the summer of 2023/24. Skriniar joined PSG on a free transfer after the French champions rejected Inter Milan’s €70 million bid in the previous summer. The 28-year-old defender arrived at the Parisian club just one day after Luis Enrique, former Spain national team and Barcelona coach, was appointed.
He is the latest manager tasked with leading PSG in pursuit of the Champions League title, a goal set by the Qatari owners since they acquired the club in 2011. Skriniar's defensive abilities are expected to significantly bolster PSG's backline, which conceded 40 goals on their way to securing their 11th Ligue 1 title last season. It was the worst defensive record for a Ligue 1-winning team since Lyon conceded 41 goals in 2003.
6. Marco Asensio (€279,808)
PSG were unable to renew Messi's contract, as the Argentine star was determined to leave. As a result, the French club had to quickly secure a replacement for Messi to prepare for the new season. Shortly after, PSG officially confirmed the signing of Marco Asensio.
The Spanish player will join the French club on a contract until the summer of 2026. Marco Asensio is a versatile player who can play as a winger on either wing or in the number 10 role. He spent seven years at Real Madrid, winning three La Liga titles, three UEFA Champions League trophies, and several other prestigious honors.
7. Achraf Hakimi (€279,808) - One of the highest paid Ligue 1 players
Each month, Achraf Hakimi receives about one million dollars in salary from PSG, but he only keeps 20%. The remaining portion, estimated at around 215,000 dollars per week, is transferred to his mother's account, according to Marca. The newspaper also reports that the Moroccan defender keeps his name off official asset records. Hakimi's wife is unaware that his mother is behind the transactions involving car purchases, jewelry, and clothing for him.
Details of Hakimi's assets were revealed amidst rumors that his wife, Hiba Abouk, was seeking a divorce and a share of his assets. He ranks as the sixth-highest-paid African footballer in the world. With three years remaining on his contract with PSG, Hakimi's assets are expected to grow further.
8. Randal Kolo Muani (€244,808) - Among the highest paid Ligue 1 players
Randal Kolo Muani arrived at PSG from Frankfurt last summer for a transfer fee of approximately 90 million euros. The 25-year-old striker has made 22 appearances, scoring 8 goals and providing 3 assists. However, there has been controversy over Kolo Muani's impact, as he has not yet demonstrated the same level of influence as Kylian Mbappé when deployed as a focal point in attack.
While both play for Paris Saint-Germain and the French national team, Randal Kolo Muani will need much more time to reach the stature of Kylian Mbappe. Nevertheless, the greater the responsibility, the more fans believe in his potential to shine.
9. Gianluigi Donnarumma (€244,808)
PSG also confirmed that they had signed a five-year contract with the 22-year-old goalkeeper. The Ligue 1 runners-up have not disclosed the salary details, but according to European media, Donnarumma earns $14 million (about 12 million euros) per year, excluding bonuses that depend on his contributions and the club's achievements.
$14 million per year was the salary requested by Donnarumma and his agent, Mino Raiola, but it was not accepted when Milan offered a new contract. As a result, he chose to leave as a free agent, bringing an end to his six-year tenure as AC Milan's first-choice goalkeeper. The Italian club immediately spent $21 million to sign Mike Maignan, the 25-year-old French goalkeeper who had just won Ligue 1 with Lille, as a replacement.
10. Keylor Navas (€209,808)) - One of the highest paid Ligue 1 players
Keylor Navas's contract with Paris Saint-Germain runs until the summer of 2024. However, the veteran Costa Rican goalkeeper is unlikely to consider returning to his parent club when the season ends. With the addition of several world-class superstars, PSG's salary bill has skyrocketed.
According to the French newspaper L'Équipe, among the top 20 highest-paid players in Ligue 1, the top 18 positions are occupied by PSG players. This highlights PSG's overwhelming financial dominance and how it far exceeds the rest of Ligue 1.
Conclusion
The tremendous financial gap in recent years is evident from statistics provided by L'Équipe. Journalist Loic Tanzi suggests that this situation will continue as the Ligue 1 brand is 'lagging behind' compared to top European leagues such as the Premier League and La Liga. It's evident that most of the players mentioned above need a higher level of competition. As a result, their salaries, bonuses, and perks will increase significantly. Thank you for your interest in this content. Visit the Wintips bookmaker ranking website to update more interesting sports news.
See also: Top 10 Arsenal highest paid player for the 2023/24 season
