Lionel Messi was football's highest-paid star, but Cristiano Ronaldo now earns twice as much as his longstanding rival after the FC Barcelona superstar agreed to a massive 70% pay cut.
Click through the gallery above to see Barcelona's highest-paid stars, and what they earn weekly, after they agreed to take a 70% pay cut!
Messi announced on Monday that Barcelona's first-team squad had agreed to a massive pay reduction in order to help the club in the financially tricky times amid the coronavirus crisis.
"It is time to confirm that, as well as the 70% reduction in our salaries during the state of emergency, we are going to make contributions too so that club employees can receive 100% of their salaries while this situation lasts," he said via a statement on Instagram.
Download The Soccer Laduma Social Media App Earn Airtime for Selfies!
As a consequence, Messi's adjusted salary would see him pocket about €13.8 million (R271 million) a year, with the Argentine potentially giving up a massive €32.2 million (R631 million) of his €46 million (R902 million) annual salary if the measures were to last a year.
Ronaldo, meanwhile, has agreed to forfeit €3.8 million (R75 million) of his annual salary, which would see his annual wages shrink from €31 million (R608 million) to €27.2 million (R533 million).
Read: The 10 Highest Paid Footballers Right Now
Do you think more football stars should give up 70% of their salaries during the COVID-19 crisis? Have your say in the comments section below.
