The UEFA Europa League (UEL) doesn’t always attract the astronomical salary packages we see in the Champions League. But make no mistake — some of football’s biggest names have earned serious money while competing in Europe’s second-tier competition. In this article, IndiGoal will dive into the world of the highest paid players in UEL history, uncovering which stars took home huge wages, how their contracts compare, and what it means for the prestige of the Europa League.
Understanding “Highest Paid” in the Europa League Context
Before naming names, it’s important to clarify what “highest paid” means in this context. Because many high-wage players are in top clubs that regularly play in the Champions League, only those whose teams either qualify for Europa League directly or drop in. So when we talk about the highest paid players in UEL history, we mean:
- Players who at some point competed in the Europa League,
- Whose salary (weekly, monthly, annual) during that season was exceptionally high relative to their peers,
- And whose club commitment in that season placed them squarely in the Europa League.
Because of limited public disclosure of all contracts, especially for previous decades, the list below is based on the best available data.
Top Salary Cases Among Europa League Participants
Below are some of the standout cases — players who earned top-tier wages while playing in the Europa League.
Wissam Ben Yedder — €7,800,000, Wissam Ben Yedder held the top spot for earnings, with a reported €7.8 million salary in his season competing in the UEL.
Takumi Minamino — ~€4,500,000 per season
Trailing behind is Takumi Minamino, whose reported salary of €4.5 million during a Europa League season places him among the top earners in the competition.
Moussa Sissoko — ~€3,720,000 per season
Another name that often appears is Moussa Sissoko, with a reported wage of €3.72 million during his involvement in European competition.
These figures emerge.
The 2024–25 Season: A Snapshot of Top Earners
While “history” suggests a panorama over many seasons, the 2024–25 Europa League offers a useful modern benchmark. A recent list of the 20 highest-paid players in Europa League 2024/25 shows heavy domination by Premier League stars.
- Casemiro leads at roughly £350,000 per week.
- Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford follow at about £300,000 per week each.
- Mason Mount, Antony, Matthijs de Ligt, Harry Maguire, and Son Heung-min also feature in the top ten.
- Notably, many of these players’ clubs also take part in Champions League or switch between competitions.
This list demonstrates how top clubs with elite-level salaries occasionally find themselves in or cross into Europa League territory.
Why So Many High Earners in UEL Are from Premier League Clubs
Several structural and financial reasons explain why many of the highest paid players in UEL history come from Premier League sides:
- High wage structure in England
- English clubs tend to offer among the highest wages in Europe, even for players who might drop into UEL midseason.
- Frequent Champions League dropouts
- Clubs that finish third in Champions League groups get relegated into the Europa League knockout stage; their star players continue earning their hefty salaries.
- Contract inertia
- When top players sign six- or seven-figure contracts, their participation in UEL doesn’t necessarily come with salary adjustments downward — they keep their pay even if their club’s European status changes.
- Commercial and image clauses
- High wage contracts often include bonuses, endorsements, and image rights that push total compensation higher, even in competitions like the Europa League.
Challenges in Pinpointing Definitive “Highest Ever”
Even with the examples above, several challenges prevent us from conclusively naming the single highest paid player in UEL history:
- Incomplete historical data: Older contracts are harder to verify, and many clubs didn’t publish full wage breakdowns in previous eras.
- Fluctuating exchange rates and inflation: A million euros in 2010 is not the same as a million euros in 2025.
- Bonus structures and incentives: Some big contracts include performance bonuses or image rights that may or may not count as “salary.”
- Multiple European competitions in a season: Some players switch between Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League in a single season, complicating attribution.
Even so, the evidence suggests that names like Ben Yedder, Minamino, and top Premier League stars competing in UEL are among the best candidates for “highest paid in Europa League history.”
What This Tells Us About the Europa League’s Evolution
Discovering how much some players are paid while competing in the Europa League gives insight into how the competition has evolved:
- Greater prestige and financial weight: What was once regarded as the “second-tier” competition now regularly features multi-millionaire superstars.
- Bridging to top competition: For many clubs, UEL acts as a safety net for Champions League aspirations, and it draws players who expect elite compensation.
- Market pressure and salary inflation: Even competitions with lower media reach must contend with inflated wages driven by rival leagues and markets.
In short, the UEL is no longer a stage for “second fiddle” clubs only — major names and major wages take the field too.
Conclusion
In this article, IndiGoal has explored the world of highest paid players in UEL history — revealing that while definitive confirmation is elusive, modern data points to Wissam Ben Yedder (≈ €7.8 million), Takumi Minamino (≈ €4.5 million), and Moussa Sissoko (≈ €3.72 million) as standout cases. Meanwhile, the 2024–25 season underscores how Premier League salaries permeate UEL.
If you’re curious to dive dee, season-by-season comparisons, or cross-competition earnings (Champions League vs Europa League), just say the word — I’m happy to dig further. Let this be your starting point — and stay tuned at IndiGoal for the most accurate, exciting football financial insight.