Zlatan Ibrahimovi?, A.C. Milan

   2011 earnings: €12.5 million

Zlatan Ibrahimovi?, born in 1981, is a Swedish footballer of Bosnian and Croatian descent who currently plays as a striker for A.C. Milan and the Swedish national team. He started his career at Malm? FF in the late 1990s and joined Milan in August 2010. He has won many awards, including five Guldbollen (2005, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010), two UEFA Team of the Year (2007 and 2009), and was twice named Swedish Male Athlete of the Year (2007 and 2010).

   Didier Drogba, Chelsea

   2011 earnings: €12.8 million

Didier Drogba, born in 1978, is an Ivorian footballer who plays the center forward position. He currently plays for Chelsea in the Premier League and is the captain and all-time top scorer of the C?te d'Ivoire national football team. Drogba made his professional debut at age 18 for Ligue 2 club Le Mans in France and signed for Chelsea in July 2004. He has scored more goals for Chelsea than any other foreign player and is currently Chelsea's 6th highest goal scorer of all time.