World’s best-paid female footballers revealed as Barcelona star sets new record… but does Sam Kerr make the cut?

The best-paid women’s footballer has been revealed after a summer of transfers and contract renewals saw a seismic shake-up in the rankings.

Spanish outlet AS has released the updated standings, which takes into account only the salary given to players by their clubs and excludes sponsorship deals plus national team payments.

Chelsea and Matildas superstar Sam Kerr unsurprisingly finds herself vying for top spot after the 30-year-old signed a lucrative new contract with the English club during the off-season.

But Kerr does not take the No 1 position, with the Australian pipped by a Barcelona star at the peak of her powers.

Aitana Bonmati (left) is the best-paid women’s footballer, while Barcelona teammate Alexia Putellas (right) is the second best-paid star

Matildas and Chelsea star Sam Kerr sits third in the rankings, according to AS

Keira Walsh is the only Lioness to make the top 10 after her move to Barcelona

That’s right, the reigning Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati is the best-paid women’s footballer on the planet after she signed a new contract with the Spanish giants on Monday.

According to AS, the 26-year-old will earn approximately €1million per season, with Barcelona keen to fend off interest from Chelsea after the Blues were reportedly considering triggering her €3million release clause.

Alongside her leading club salary, Bonmati also has endorsements from Adidas as well as Nissan and Alpro. Her Barcelona contract expires in 2028.

Club and national teammate Alexia Putellas sits just below Bonmati in the rankings. The 30-year-old renewed her deal with Barcelona last May and earns approximately €700,000 per year, just reward having won the Ballon d’Or twice. 

Widely regarded as one of the most recognisable faces in the women’s game, Putellas has struggled to rekindle the form that saw her crowned the No 1 player on the planet due to a long-term injury, but she remains pivotal to Barca’s plans.

Matildas captain Kerr settles for third spot in the rankings, having extended her contract at Stamford Bridge for a whopping €538,000 per season.

Norwegian football legend Ada Hegerberg also features among the best-paid stars

It has been a frustrating 12 months for Kerr, who was unable to take the Matildas to the World Cup final due to a knee injury that has kept her sidelined for some time, but Chelsea have shown their loyalty to Kerr by offering her improved terms in the summer.

Only one Lioness makes up AS’s top 10 players, with Keira Walsh reportedly earning €457,000 a year after her record transfer from Manchester City to Barcelona in the summer.

Ada Hegerberg (€398,000), Marta (€386,000), Wendie Renard (€357,000), Christine Sinclair (€345,000) and Trinity Rodman (€256,000) make up the remaining spaces.

Of course, the women’s players’ salaries are dwarfed when compared to their male counterparts, with Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly earning £3.4million per week at Saudi club Al Nassr.