Gareth Bale Sets New Britain Record

Gareth Bale has been named as the richest young footballer in Great Britain and Ireland in the 2018 Sunday Times Young Rich List.

The study found that 14 of the top 17 wealthiest athletes aged 30 or below are footballers.

Bale, the highest-earning player, is paid £18.2 million a year after tax, along with a further £8m from sponsors, with his net wealth rising by £20m over the past year to £74m for 2018, according to the Sunday Times.

Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero is next in line with £48m, £26m below Bale’s total, while Chelsea’s Eden Hazard is the third-richest with wealth of £32m.

There are 13 Premier League players in the lineup, with Manchester United represented by Paul Pogba (£25m), Juan Mata (£24m), Alexis Sanchez (£21m) and David De Gea (£18m).

Newly-crowned Premier League champions City have one other player on the list with Aguero, with Kevin De Bruyne’s £16m putting him joint-13th with Chelsea’s Pedro.

But all of the footballers are looking up at golfer Rory McIlroy, who tops the young athletes’ list at £110m last year, and tennis champion Andy Murray — who turns 31 on Tuesday — at £83m. Boxer Anthony Joshua is the other non-footballer on the list, coming in between Aguero and Hazard at £35m.