Best-Paid Spanish Footballers See More Than Half Of Salaries Go To Tax Authorities

Spanish tax authorities will this year collect as much in taxes from Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Neymar as they would receive from 15,723 workers each earning €22,000 ($29,535), according to LIBERTAD DIGITAL. After a "historic tax increase approved by Spain's Popular Party in '12," the percentage owed to the government by those in the highest tax bracket, which includes people making more than €300,000 ($402,750), increased by seven points. The "majority of La Liga players have more than half their salaries taken by the tax authorities." In fact, "in the region of Catalonia, 56% is taken, while in Madrid the figure is 52%." Of the €36M ($48.3M) that Messi makes, he loses €20M ($26.9M) in taxes, while the tax authorities take €8.9M ($12M) of Neymar's €16M ($21.5M) annual salary (LIBERTAD DIGITAL, 8/20).