Does Money Win in Football? PSG vs. Liverpool Salary Comparison

PSG and Liverpool faced off in a thrilling Champions League Round of 16 second-leg clash, with the tie ultimately being decided in a dramatic penalty shootout. PSG emerged victorious, securing their place in the quarterfinals at Liverpool’s expense.

With this result, one key question arises: did the team with the higher wage bill come out on top? To answer this, we’ve compared the salaries of the players who featured in the match, ranking them from lowest to highest. This breakdown provides insight into the financial disparity between the two squads and whether big spending truly translates to success on the pitch.

15. Désiré Doué – PSG (£44,723 per week / £2,302,291 per year)

Désiré Doué is an exciting young talent at PSG. His salary reflects PSG’s strategy of investing early in young players, ensuring they are well-compensated despite not yet being first-team regulars.

15. Jarell Quansah – Liverpool (£30,000 per week / £1,560,000 per year)

Jarell Quansah has shown promising signs as a defender for Liverpool, but his salary remains relatively low. As he continues to develop and earn more minutes, he is likely to secure a more lucrative contract.

14. Lucas Beraldo – PSG (£53,031 per week / £2,757,603 per year)

Lucas Beraldo is another example of PSG paying young defensive players well. His wages exceed those of many Liverpool regulars, showing PSG’s financial strength.

14. Harvey Elliott – Liverpool (£40,000 per week / £2,080,000 per year)

Harvey Elliott has become a key part of Liverpool’s squad, but his wages are still moderate. A future contract renewal will likely place him higher in the club’s pay structure.

13. Willian Pacho – PSG (£73,627 per week / £3,828,598 per year)

A solid defensive presence, Pacho’s salary demonstrates PSG’s willingness to spend on defensive reinforcements. His earnings surpass those of several Liverpool midfielders.

13. Wataru Endo – Liverpool (£50,000 per week / £2,600,000 per year)

Endo was brought in to provide experience and stability to Liverpool’s midfield. His salary is modest compared to PSG’s spending on midfielders but in line with Liverpool’s financial strategy.

12. Gonçalo Ramos – PSG (£89,196 per week / £4,638,169 per year)

As a forward expected to deliver goals, Ramos earns a solid wage, significantly higher than many Liverpool players. His earnings reflect PSG’s aggressive investment in attacking players.

12. Luis Díaz – Liverpool (£55,000 per week / £2,860,000 per year)

Díaz has been a crucial player for Liverpool, but his current contract keeps him among the lower earners in the first team. A new deal could see him earn closer to PSG’s attacking stars.

11. Bradley Barcola – PSG (£107,035 per week / £5,565,803 per year)

A young, promising winger, Barcola earns a respectable wage at PSG, though still far below the club’s top earners. His salary is comparable to some of Liverpool’s well-established stars.

11. Darwin Núñez – Liverpool (£140,000 per week / £7,280,000 per year)

Núñez has yet to fully justify his price tag, but Liverpool has invested in him heavily, as seen in his wages. His salary places him among the higher earners at the club.

10. Gianluigi Donnarumma – PSG (£206,447 per week / £10,735,251 per year)

One of the world’s highest-paid goalkeepers, Donnarumma earns far more than his Liverpool counterpart. His salary reflects PSG’s commitment to having a top-class shot-stopper.

10. Diogo Jota – Liverpool (£140,000 per week / £7,280,000 per year)

Jota has proven to be a reliable goal scorer for Liverpool, and his salary reflects his importance to the team. However, it is still considerably lower than what Donnarumma earns at PSG.

9. Warren Zaïre-Emery – PSG (£136,226 per week / £7,083,570 per year)

Zaïre-Emery is one of PSG’s brightest young stars. Despite his young age, he is already earning more than many Liverpool first-team players.

9. Cody Gakpo – Liverpool (£120,000 per week / £6,240,000 per year)

Gakpo was signed as a key attacking player, and his wages reflect that. However, compared to Zaïre-Emery, he earns slightly less, showing the financial disparity between the two clubs.

8. Fabián Ruiz – PSG (£147,416 per week / £7,665,629 per year)

A technically gifted midfielder, Ruiz is well-compensated at PSG. His salary surpasses most of Liverpool’s midfielders, underlining the difference in PSG’s spending habits.

8. Dominik Szoboszlai – Liverpool (£120,000 per week / £6,240,000 per year)

Szoboszlai is a major signing for Liverpool, and his wages are competitive. However, he earns significantly less than Fabián Ruiz, highlighting PSG’s financial strength.

7. João Neves – PSG (£147,416 per week / £7,665,629 per year)

A rising star, Neves is already being paid at an elite level for a young midfielder. PSG is ensuring that their top prospects are well-rewarded early in their careers.

7. Alisson – Liverpool (£150,000 per week / £7,800,000 per year)

One of the best goalkeepers in the world, Alisson is among Liverpool’s higher earners. Despite this, his salary is still far below Donnarumma’s at PSG.

6. Nuno Mendes – PSG (£162,174 per week / £8,433,035 per year)

One of the most promising full-backs in Europe, Mendes is well-compensated for his role in PSG’s defense. His wages are higher than most Liverpool players.

6. Ryan Gravenberch – Liverpool (£150,000 per week / £7,800,000 per year)

Still developing, Gravenberch earns a solid wage, though he makes less than Nuno Mendes. Liverpool’s approach to wages remains more measured than PSG’s.

5. Vitinha – PSG (£176,769 per week / £9,192,009 per year)

A crucial part of PSG’s midfield, Vitinha’s salary places him among the club’s higher earners. His wages show PSG’s financial flexibility compared to Liverpool.

5. Alexis Mac Allister – Liverpool (£150,000 per week / £7,800,000 per year)

A World Cup winner, Mac Allister is paid well at Liverpool, but his salary is still significantly lower than Vitinha’s.

4. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – PSG (£265,316 per week / £13,796,446 per year)

One of PSG’s biggest signings, Kvaratskhelia’s wages are a testament to his status as an elite attacker. He earns significantly more than most Liverpool players.

4. Andrew Robertson – Liverpool (£160,000 per week / £8,320,000 per year)

Robertson is one of Liverpool’s highest-paid defenders, but his salary is nowhere near that of PSG’s top attacking players like Kvaratskhelia.

3. Marquinhos – PSG (£272,452 per week / £14,167,499 per year)

The leader of PSG’s defense, Marquinhos commands an enormous salary, higher than any Liverpool defender.

3. Trent Alexander-Arnold – Liverpool (£180,000 per week / £9,360,000 per year)

Liverpool’s most creative defender, Alexander-Arnold is well paid, but still earns far less than PSG’s defensive leader, Marquinhos.

2. Ousmane Dembélé – PSG (£324,348 per week / £16,866,071 per year)

A marquee signing, Dembélé is among PSG’s highest-paid players, reinforcing their reputation for spending big on attackers.

2. Virgil van Dijk – Liverpool (£220,000 per week / £11,440,000 per year)

Liverpool’s highest-paid defender, Van Dijk’s salary is substantial but nowhere near Dembélé’s at PSG.

1. Achraf Hakimi – PSG (£353,863 per week / £18,400,883 per year)

One of the world’s best full-backs, Hakimi is PSG’s top earner, which is unusual for a defender but reflective of the club’s spending strategy.

1. Mohamed Salah – Liverpool (£350,000 per week / £18,200,000 per year)

Salah is Liverpool’s highest-paid player, and his wages are among the highest in the Premier League. However, Hakimi still slightly surpasses him in earnings.