Top 10 highest paid Asian footballers: Europe-based players top the global list, Saudi stars rule Asia

Over the years, Asian footballers have become increasingly popular, with many standout talents emerging. Alongside this rise, their salaries have grown every year, in some cases even surpassing those of European players. In today’s list, NowGoalMobi.net names the top 10 highest paid Asian footballers, both internationally and in Asian leagues.

Top 10 highest paid Asian footballers International (Chosun – 2025)

Surprisingly, the No.1 player on the list is not Son Heung-min. The Korean captain left Tottenham Hotspur after almost 10 years at the club and joined Los Angeles FC in the summer. His salary is reported at €11.77 million, according to the MLS Salary Cap. This is also the only figure officially announced, as most salary information on this list is based on reports or data from statistical websites.

Topping the list is Bayern Munich centre-back Kim Min-jae, who earns around €12.00 million per year. Born in 1996, Kim Min-jae started his career at school level in Korea before being scouted by Fenerbahce and later moving to Napoli. He won the Serie A title in his first season with the club and quickly earned a transfer to Bayern Munich. However, his salary at Bayern is considered mid-range compared to other players in the squad.

Another star on the list is Lee Kang-in, who recently won the treble with Paris Saint-Germain. He began his career in Korea before moving to Valencia in Spain to develop through their youth system. In 2023, Lee Kang-in joined Paris Saint-Germain for a €22 million transfer fee. In a squad filled with stars such as Ousmane Dembélé, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Bradley Barcola, Lee Kang-in has not been a regular starter under Luis Enrique. Despite that, he earns around €7.27 million per year, placing him third on the list.

Daichi Kamada of Crystal Palace ranks fourth and is the highest-paid Japanese player on the list. Kamada started his career at university level in Japan, moved to Germany, and played for several European clubs before joining Crystal Palace last season, where he became a regular starter. His salary is estimated at around €6.51 million per year.

Top 10 highest paid Asian footballers International

1. Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich) - €12.00 million

2. Son Heung-min (LAFC) - €11.77 million

3. Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) - €7.27 million

4. Daichi Kamada (Crystal Palace) - €6.51 million

5. Takehiro Tomiyasu (Ajax) - €6.20 million

6. Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton & Hove Albion) - €4.96 million

7. Takumi Minamino (AS Monaco) - €4.60 million

8. Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton Wanderers) - €4.34 million

9. Hiroki Ito (Bayern Munich) - €3.78 million

10. Wataru Endo (Liverpool) - €3.10 million

Top 10 highest paid Asian footballers in Asia

In Asia, most of the highest-paid players come from the Saudi Pro League. Since the league welcomed global superstars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kanté, wages have increased significantly, supported by major sponsorship and investment funds.

The highest-paid Asian player in Asia right now is Salem Al-Dawsari, captain of Al-Hilal, who has been with the club for nearly 10 years. Al-Dawsari joined Al-Hilal’s youth academy and was promoted to the first team in 2012. After six years, he spent half a season on loan at Villarreal before returning in June 2018. He has remained loyal to Al-Hilal ever since. His salary is estimated at around €7.05 million per year, making him the highest paid Asian footballer in Asia.

Second on the list is Ali Majrashi, a right-back from Al-Ahli. He started his career at Al-Shabab and played for several Saudi clubs before completing a permanent move to Al-Ahli in January 2022. Ali Majrashi is now considered the club’s first-choice right-back and one of the longest-serving players. His salary is reported at around €3.85 million, placing him second on this list.

Third is Mukhtar Ali, who previously played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr. Mukhtar Ali has a unique background, having started his career in Chelsea’s youth system. After spending several years moving between Chelsea’s U23 side and Dutch club Vitesse, he returned to Saudi Arabia and joined Al-Nassr in 2022. Following loan spells at Al-Tai and Al-Fateh, he joined Al-Ettifaq on a free transfer. Despite this, his salary is reported at €3.21 million, the same level as three other players on the list: Ziyad Al-Johani (Al-Ahli), Moteb Al-Harbi (Al-Hilal), and Abdullah Madu (Al-Ettifaq).

Top 10 highest paid Asian footballers in Asia

1. Salem Al-Dawsari (Al-Hilal) - €7.05 million

2. Ali Majrashi (Al-Ahli) - €3.85 million

3. Mukhtar Ali (Al-Ettifaq) - €3.21 million

4. Ziyad Al-Johani (Al-Ahli) - €3.21 million

5. Moteb Al-Harbi (Al-Hilal) - €3.21 million

6. Abdullah Madu (Al-Ettifaq) - €3.21 million

7. Haroune Camara (Al-Nassr) - €2.56 million

8. Madallah Al-Olayan (Al-Ettifaq)) - €2.56 million

9. Abdullah Al-Khaibari (Al-Nassr) - €2.56 million

10. Abdullah Radif (Al-Hilal) - €2.55 million

Above, NowGoalMobi has listed the top 10 highest paid Asian footballers, both internationally and in Asian clubs. For more exciting football news, read more here.