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Messi tops wealth league ahead of Ronaldo, Neymar

LIONEL MESSI remains the world's richest football player, despite the Argentine maestro being denied a potentially money-spinning move away from Barcelona this month after a contract-dispute.

According to a list compiled by Forbes, Messi's total earnings this year are $126 million -- $92 million from his salary and $34 million in endorsements.


Cristiano Ronaldo comes in second although earnings of $117 million will soften the blow for the Juventus forward, as will his status as the most followed soccer player in the world on social media.

Neymar comes in third on the Forbes list ($96 million) with his Paris St Germain team mate, 21-year-old Kylian Mbappe, up in fourth spot ($42 million).

The Premier League remains the world's richest domestic soccer league but only two of its outfield players feature in the top 10 of the wealth table -- Liverpool's title-winning striker Mohamed Salah in fifth spot ($37 million) and Manchester United's midfielder Paul Pogba ($34 million) in sixth. Pogba's team mate, keeper David de Gea ($27 million) is 10th.

Barcelona's Antoine Griezmann was seventh and Real Madrid's Gareth Bale eighth. Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski, the only Bundesliga player, in ninth.

Messi reluctantly agreed to stay at Barcelona for another season this month, despite saying in the wake of an 8-2 Champions League defeat by Bayern Munich that he wanted out.

He argued that a clause in his contract stating that a 700 million euros release fee would need to be met for him to join another club was no longer active and that he could leave on a free transfer -- a situation that would have allowed him to command astronomical wages from the likes of Manchester City.

Messi, 33, is in the final year of his contract so could leave for free next summer. By staying with the Catalan club, Messi is in line for an $83 million loyalty bonus so it is likely he will continue to top the money charts.

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Kent County Show opens with royal visit from Duchess of Edinburgh

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  • Day one of the Kent County Show begins at Detling Showground near Maidstone
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The Kent County Show returned to Detling near Maidstone on Friday, marking the start of a major three-day celebration of farming, food, and rural living. The event opened with a special visit from the Duchess of Edinburgh, who is attending for the first time in 16 years.

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The Dalai Lama, who fled to India in 1959 following a failed uprising against Chinese rule, said on Wednesday that after his death he would be reincarnated as the next spiritual leader, and that only the Gaden Phodrang Trust would be able to identify his successor. He had earlier said that the next Dalai Lama would be born outside China.

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