Football players are known for their expensive lifestyles. They are global icons. Top-rated footballers get huge salaries from their clubs and sponsors, which is unthinkable. They have massive stardom, and they like to show it off.
However, there are exceptions. There are some footballers who earn a high amount but do not spend it on luxury. They spend their money on the well-being of the poor and society. Their lifestyle is completely opposite. Their down-to-earth behavior makes people love them as human beings.
Here we have listed the 10 best humble football players with no ego and sense of superiority.
10 Best Humble Football Players
While making this list, we have prioritized players’ on-field and off-field behaviors, their works of charity, and acts of kindness.
1. Lionel Messi
| Full Name | Lionel Andrés Messi |
| Place of Birth | Rosario, Argentina |
| Nationality | Argentine |
| Age | 35 years |
| Teams | Argentina, Barcelona, PSG |
| Net Worth | $620 million |
This list would be incomplete without the inclusion of Lionel Messi. Messi is, without a doubt, one of the GOATs of football. His skill with the ball is similar to magic. He is one of the best playmakers and goal machines in the history of football. The man has won seven Ballon d’Or, most for any player.
With so many accomplishments, it is impossible to stay humble. But that is what he does, doing the impossible. A lot of players have admitted that he is the best of his generation, but the man himself never claimed to be.
Messi always puts his team in front of his achievement. He has set up the most number of assists. Messi is often seen dribbling the ball into the d-box and then passing to his teammate to secure a goal.
Messi is one of the gentlest players. He hardly involves in picking a fight with opponents. Messi is constantly fouled by opponents, but he only answers by scoring goals and winning matches.
Messi has also founded the Leo Messi organization, which aids in improving children’s life. During the pandemic, Messi donated $1.2 million to help Barcelona’s healthcare system.
Messi is not just a GOAT of football, and he is also one of the best humble football players. Therefore, he is the idol of millions of youth.
2. Mohamed Salah
| Full Name | Mohamed Salah Hamed Mahrous Ghaly |
| Place of Birth | Nagrig, Basyoun, Egypt |
| Nationality | Egyptian |
| Age | 30 |
| Teams | Chelsea, Roma, Liverpool |
| Net Worth | $90 Million |
The Egyptian Forward Moh Salah is one of the top players of recent times. He has signed a new three-year contract with Liverpool. The contract earns him $66.08 million in three years. But from his appearance and lifestyle, it is hard to tell.
Moh Salah has earned a reputation all over the world as a humble and nice person. Salah is dedicated to his game, so he does not drink or party. He is a fitness freak. He works hard to stay fit.
Time and time, Salah has shown his greatness as a human being.
- Once, a man was arrested for burglary at his house. Salah asked his father to drop the charge and gave the thief some money to have a good life. An unbelievable act of kindness.
- Salah has been spending a good amount of his earnings on building schools, hospitals, youth centers, and an ambulance unit in his village Nagrig. The man alone is trying to change the lifestyle of thousands of people.
- A report says Salah makes a total donation of almost five hundred thousand USD every year.
- Salah spent $450,000 to buy a 5-acre land in Nagrig. He donated the land to develop a sewage plant as millions of Egyptians were suffering from a lack of water.
Moh Salah is a legend both on and off the field. He teaches us humanity and humbleness. The always-smiling player wants to spread his smile to everyone else. No wonder he is the first in our list of the best humble football players.
3. Mesut Ozil
| Full Name | Mesut Özil |
| Place of Birth | Gelsenkirchen, West Germany |
| Nationality | German |
| Age | 34 |
| Teams | Real Madrid, Arsenal, Fenerbahce, Istanbul Basaksehir*. |
| Net Worth | $120 Million |
The former German midfielder has achieved a lot in his football career. But more than everything, he earned everyone’s respect. There are so many moments to prove his humbleness as a human being.
- Once, a fan threw a piece of bread while Ozil was about to take a corner kick. The man, who is worth more than a hundred million dollars, picked the bread up, kissed it, touched his forehead, and then gently placed it aside. The scene became iconic to fans.
- Ozil received a sum of $329,000 after winning the World Cup in 2014. He donated money for the surgery of 23 children in Brazil.
- To celebrate his wedding, Ozil donated to 16 Syrian and Turkish refugee camps. The money they gave provided food for a hundred thousand people. A very odd and generous way to celebrate marriage.
- Later on, Ozil funded the surgery cost of over 1000 children around the world.
- During the Covid 19 pandemic, he supported many people and children across the globe.
Mesut Ozil is a great humanitarian. He spends his hard-earned money on serving others. He always wears a smile whenever he meets his fans. He had a reputation for showing respect to his opponents on the field.
Mesut Ozil, the shy, smiling, down-to-earth player, is certainly one of the best humble football players of all time.
4. Sadio Mane
| Full Name | Sadio Mané |
| Place of Birth | Bambali, Sédhiou, Senegal |
| Nationality | Senegalese |
| Teams | Metz, Red Bull Salzburg, Southampton, Liverpool, Bayern Munich. |
| Age | 30 |
| Net Worth | $25 Million |
The Bayern Munich forward has recently been in discussion for both his on-field and off-field activities. Mane is very talented in the field. But he is more in the limelight of social media because of his humbleness and his charity activities all over Senegal.
Mane had a tough and poverty-stricken childhood. After having huge success as a footballer, he is not now making up for his childhood. Rather he is working to make others’ lives beautiful. Mane is spending his money to establish schools, hospitals, and houses and serve food to many people of Senegal regularly.
It is not just the charity work that makes Sadio Mane special. There are such incidents that you can hardly imagine.
- Sadio Mane has a net worth of over $25 million. Can you imagine such a person cleaning toilets? Mane did. In 2018, a video went viral on social media where Mane was spotted cleaning a mosque’s toilet.
- Sadio Mane embodies sportsmanship. Despite being the most popular player in his national team squad, he shows respect to everyone. After their 2-0 victory over COngo, Mane was recorded carrying water to his fellow teammates.
- While playing for Liverpool in 2018, Liverpool made it to the final of the UEFA Champions League. Before the final match, Mane gifted 300 Liverpool shirts to the villagers of Bambali. Mane did this to make those poverty-stricken people happy for a while.
- Mane does not own very expensive cars, at least compared to other top players. When he was asked about it, Mane rather asked why he would own ten luxury cars or two plans. He added that those were no good for him and the world. Mane seems to have no attraction toward expensive earthly things.
You will find more of such humbled incidents of Mane. Because of his love for humanity and down-to-earth manner, he definitely deserves to be called one of the best humble football players.
5. Juan Mata
| Full Name | Juan Manuel Mata GarcÃa |
| Place of Birth | Burgos, Spain |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Age | 34 |
| Teams | Real Madrid, Real Oviedo, Valencia, Chelsea, Manchester United, Galatasaray. |
| Net Worth | £30 Million |
Juan Mata was born in Spain in 1988. He has played in some of the biggest clubs like Real Madrid, Valencia, Chelsea, and Manchester United.
You know that footballers often lose their temper on the field. Often they become rude and aggressive. Sometimes, little incidents lead to a big fight. You will find hundreds of examples, but none of them involve Juan Mata.
Mata is equally loved by his fans, coaches, and teammates. He is gentle and amiable in the field. His gentleness made him a respectable player in the eyes of the audience.
In 2017, Mata came up with a revolutionary idea. He teamed up with StreetfootballWorld to create the “Common Goal.” Common Goal is a charity activity that aims at changing the world via football.
Many people have already joined Mata’s initiation, and they are now donating 1% of their monthly income.
Mata’s initiative and always gentle behavior on the field makes him one of the best humble football players.
6. Marcus Rashford
| Full Name | Marcus Rashford |
| Place of Birth | Manchester, England |
| Nationality | English |
| Teams | Manchester United*. |
| Age | 25 |
| Net Worth | £45 Million |
Over the 25 years old, English forward has been very vocal about food poverty. He intends to use his football career to bring positive change in the world. Because of his stand for food equality, he was awarded an MBE honor.
Rashford receives unbiased love from English fans. He cares about his fans and often tries to make them happy and smile. Rashford also has worked hard to support needy people.
Rashford called for a “meal a day” initiative. He called this initiative to support school-going students from disadvantaged families. He asked the government to provide at least one meal to those students.
Marcus Rashford has made it his goal to eradicate poverty and hunger. He provided food for about four million children during the pandemic.
The youngster has been vocal about the food problem, and his status as a top footballer has helped him achieve some of his goals. His open letter to the government regarding ending child poverty received an immediate response.
Instead of spending his money on luxury, Rashford is always busy helping needy children. His difficult experience of childhood keeps him motivated for this. Therefore, the twenty-five year older youngster is one of the best humble football players.
7. Andres Iniesta
| Full Name | Andrés Iniesta Luján |
| Place of Birth | Fuentealbilla, Spain |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Teams | Barcelona, Vissel Kobe |
| Age | 38 |
| Net Worth | $120 Million |
The Spanish defender Andres Iniesta is widely known for his 116th-minute goal against the Netherlands that led Spain to its first-ever World Cup Win. But that’s not all. Iniesta has always been so humble when it comes to speaking of himself. He never bragged about his performance or achievements.
Iniesta is frequently involved in charity activities, some of which include:
- Donating the Spain shirt he wore while playing against Macedonia to raise money for Syrian refugees.
- The students from the Bosc de Montjuïc school took a position against bullying, and they invited Iniesta to join them. And he did. It helped the students gain support.
- During the Covid1- pandemic, Iniesta was continuously helping people. But he never made the details public. His family was active in this too. One event that came to the media said that the family donated twenty beds to a hospital.
No doubt Andres Iniesta was not just a great player, he is a great human being too. And so he is one of the best humble football players on our list.
8. N’Golo Kante
| Full Name | N’Golo Kanté |
| Place of Birth | Paris, France |
| Nationality | French |
| Teams | Leicester City, Chelsea |
| Age | 31 |
| Net Worth | $15 Million |
The French World Cup-winning squad member N’Golo Kante is one of the most humble players. He has won many of the major trophies in football. Yet he never brags about his achievements. Kante drives a simple mini cooper.
In one of his interviews, Kante admitted to getting a 10-pound haircut. Something very unusual for a French footballer. But Kante says that he does not want to do anything extravagant when it comes to lifestyle.
Kante is so down to earth and always closely interacts with his fans. He once accepted an invitation from a fan.
9. Darwin Nunez
| Full Name | Darwin Gabriel Núñez Ribeiro |
| Place of Birth | Artigas, Uruguay |
| Nationality | Uruguayan |
| Age | 23 |
| Teams | Almeria, Benfica, Liverpool |
| Net Worth | £3.5 Million |
Darwin Nunez is among the most promising youngsters. Nunez is currently signed by Liverpool. The Uruguayan star does not forget his early life, which was filled with poverty. He mentioned it in his several interviews.
He is receiving a handsome amount now, but he always remembers his past. He admitted humbly that he often went to bed without food. He gives credit to his parents for his success. Humbleness at its best.
10. Rodri
| Full Name | Rodrigo Hernández Cascante |
| Place of Birth | Madrid, Spain |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Age | 26 |
| Teams | Villarreal, Atletico Madrid, Manchester City |
| Net Worth | $15.6 Million |
Over the 26 years old Spanish star seems like a celebrity from another century. Being the top player he is, he does not have any social media accounts! Something very rare in today’s world. Rodri wants to remain focused on his game. Apart from these, some of his other features may surprise you.
- Rodri donates blood regularly, so he does not design any tattoos on his body.
- Rodri stands at a net worth of $15.6 million, yet he does not own any fancy car.
- The Spanish midfielder plays for Manchester City and earns £133,000 weekly. Rodri donates one-fourth of his income to Spanish charities.
The youngster leads a very simple life without much luxury. That makes him one of the best humble football players of our time.
Conclusion
Footballers in Europe earn a great amount of money. They can live like kings. They are megastars and hard to touch. But not the players on this list. They are the best humble football players who lead simple lives. They are humble with no ego. They are spending their money to make the world a better place. They use their stardom to spread love and peace.
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