Lionel Messi Tops Cristiano Ronaldo, Antoine Griezmann in L'Equipe Rich List

Barcelona maestro Lionel Messi has the highest wages of any footballer in Europe and earns close to double that of Cristiano Ronaldo before tax, while Antoine Griezmann ranks third on the rich list, according to L'Equipe. 

The French newspaper (h/t MailOnline's Sam McEvoy) published an annual salary report breaking down the biggest monthly wages in European football before tax. Messi rakes in £7.3 million per month, while Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is closest to the Barca phenomenon on £4.1 million per month.

Atletico Madrid ace Griezmann is one of five La Liga-based players and comes in third on £2.9 million, while Paris Saint-Germain's Neymar and Barca striker Luis Suarez round off the top five on £2.5 million and £2.3 million per month, respectively.

Gareth Bale has a monthly wage of £2.2 million at Real Madrid, while Philippe Coutinho and Alexis Sanchez each take home £2 million. PSG dynamo Kylian Mbappe and out-of-favour Arsenal star Mesut Ozil round off L'Equipe's top 10 of highest monthly earners before tax:

• Lionel Messi (Barcelona): £7.3 million (€8.3 million)
• Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus): £4.1 million (€4.7 million)
• Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid): £2.9 million  (€3.3 million)
• Neymar (PSG): £2.7 million (€3.1 million)
• Luis Suarez (Barcelona): £2.5 million (€2.9 million)
• Gareth Bale (Real Madrid): £2.2 million (€2.5 million)
• Philippe Coutinho (Barcelona): £2 million (€2.3 million)
• Alexis Sanchez (Manchester United): £2 million (€2.3 million)
• Kylian Mbappe (PSG): £1.5 million (€1.7 million)
• Mesut Ozil (Arsenal): £1.4 million (€1.6 million)

Ronaldo is the only player to make the top 10 earners who plays his football in Serie A, while Barcelona are the most well-represented club thanks to their three entrants: Messi, Suarez and Coutinho.

Get French Football News highlighted the top earner from each of Europe's top five leagues and noted the Bundesliga's highest roller couldn't make the cut:

L'Equipe's metric only accounts for wages and doesn't factor in all earnings, such as merchandise and advertising revenue generated by image rights.

Messi, 31, signed his current contract—which expires in June 2020—in November 2017. It was around then Copa90 provided a more comprehensive breakdown of his earnings:

The Argentinian's monthly salary at the Camp Nou is more than that of Ronaldo and Griezmann combined, and he continues to reward the Blaugrana for their handsome remuneration. Barcelona lead La Liga and are in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, as well as competing in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League.

France and Brazil are the only two countries who have multiple footballers named among Europe's top 10 highest earners. Sanchez and Ozil make the list after they signed contracts with Manchester United and Arsenal, respectively, at the beginning of 2018.

Messi may come to sign an even more lucrative contract at the Camp Nou in the years to come, with no signs that his powers are on the decline as of yet.