When it comes to footballers, not only do we think about their talent and achievements, but also their net worth. In fact, most football players who are on top are very rich even when they didn’t come from a wealthy family. In this article, we will learn about top powerful football players who grew up poor. Read on and do not forget to check out Happythais88 for betting tips, watch directions and place bets.
#1. Diego Maradona
The world of football had a big loss in 2024 after the death of Maradona. He is among the top powerful football players who grew up poor. Maradona was born in Villa Fiorito in 1961 and has been known as one of the greatest Argentina football players in history.
During his childhood years, Maradona lived in the slums of the town and dreamed about being a great football player. He ended up becoming a legend despite the fact that he grew up in the shanty town of Villa Fiorito. The Argentina legend comes from a large family and he had to share one room with seven siblings when he was a child. He even fell into the family cesspit when he was a toddler.
He had very rough childhood years, that’s why he was determined to change his life with football. That was actually all he had because he was not educated and he also had no sophistication. At the age of 15, he signed his first professional contract and since then, he has been able to support his family. Because of his talent and hardwork, he joined Barcelona when he was 21, and became a legendary footballer with an estimated net worth of $100,000.
#2. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Another player in this list is Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He was born in 1981 in Sweden. Ibrahimovic is known as a famous Swedish striker in A.C. Milan.
Ibrahimovic came from the Rosengard district of Malmö and his father was an alcoholic. He wasn’t raised well as his parents split when he was only two. When he was a kid, he always had to steal food and things to survive. He developed his technical skills by playing football on streets with friends.
His school hired a special teacher for him but his special character didn’t make it work. He even lined a long-distance shot off the teacher’s head when she came to watch him play one afternoon. Obviously she quitted a few days later. Zlatan mentioned in his book that he wanted to show the whole world who he really was. With his strong will, he actually became one of the most talented footballers in the world.
In spite of the fact that he was born poor, his current net worth is around $90 million, which makes him one of the richest soccer players in the world.
#3. Sadio Mane
Sadio Mane is a young talent who was born in 1992 in a very poor family in Senegal. The poverty prevented him from getting an education. With that being said, he started his football career with nothing.
Luckily, he found his passion for football very early in life, and instead of going to school, he spent time practicing and playing with other kids in the neighborhood. He did not have to wait too long as a French scout accidently found him in Senegal when he was 15. He was then taken to France to exhibit his outstanding talent. Since then, he started playing professional football with the Metz.
Understanding the difficulty of growing up poor, he always tries to help the poor and underprivileged people in Senegal. In 2016, Mané moved to Liverpool from Southampton with an impressive transfer deal of £34 million. And it was recently reported that he is going to stay at Anfield until 2024.
Mane doesn’t have an interest in buying nice cars, diamond watches or jet planes. He would rather do something for the world. For example, he can use his money to build schools and give poor people food or clothing. He said that he gave €70 per month to all poor people from Senegal. He makes around $121,000 a week that contributes to his net worth of $24 million.
#4. Angel Di Maria
Angel Di María was born in 1988 in Argentina and he plays as winger or attacking midfielder. At the moment, he plays for Paris Saint-Germain in France and the national team.
Similar to other players in the list of top football players who grew up poor, Di Maria had a rough childhood. He had to work in a coal yard to help his family and support them. He couldn’t afford shoes to play soccer when he was young.
His family lived in a grocery store so it was difficult for him to pursue his dreams. Everything wasn’t easy for him from the beginning and therefore, he put a lot of effort and hardwork to become one of the best players of his generation. He was then able to support his family financially.
But his difficulty wasn’t just from poverty, he even suffered from hyperactivity and needed to consult a doctor. He was advised to play sports to help with his unhealthy condition. That’s how he spent a lot of time with football as a young kid.
Di Maria joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2019 and has been playing for the club until 2024. At the moment, he has an estimated net worth of $22 million.
#5. Luis Suarez
Luis Suarez was born in 1987 in Uruguay and he now plays as a striker for Barcelona as well as the Uruguay national team.
Growing up poor, Suarez had to play football without shoes in the streets when he was a kid. His father left the family for a better job and the parents separated when he was nine. So he had very tough times.
He managed to pursue his dream with football and in 2014, he signed a five-year contract with Barcelona with an amazing transfer fee of £64.98 million. He is now known as one of the most expensive players in football history with a net worth of around $70 million.
