Barcelona, world’s best paid team

Data from the annual Global Sports Salary Survey shows the average basic pay at the Spanish giant this season is 9.8 million pounds ($12.75 million), dipping slightly from last year’s 10.5 million pounds. Barcelona holding onto top spot is largely down to Argentina forward Lionel Messi’s gross basic annual pay of more than 50 million pounds.

Real Madrid is second on the list with an average basic pay of around 8.9 million pounds while Serie A holder Juventus — which signed Messi’s great rival Cristiano Ronaldo in 2018 — is in third place. Portland Trailblazers is fourth with an average pay of 8 million pounds, ahead of fellow NBA sides Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic, Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers.

English football defending champion Manchester City is 13th at 6.9 million pounds — below France’s Paris St Germain in 12th (7.1 million pounds) — but ahead of local rival Manchester United which is 33rd (6.1 million pounds). The average annual salary of a Premier League player climbed over 3 million pounds for the first time — a rise of 6.1% from last year —making the competition the highest paying football league, while the NBA was first overall.