CNN.com - Beckham: Football's biggest earner

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LONDON, England -- England football star David Beckham is the game's best paid player in the world, with annual earnings of 15 million euros ($17 million), according to a survey published by France Football magazine.

The 28-year-old Beckham -- who helped Manchester United win their eighth Premier League title in 11 years -- moved up the list from second to first place this year.

The French magazine calculated the earnings of premier footballers taking into consideration salaries, endorsements and image rights.

A contract signed by Beckham with Manchester United allowed the midfielder to overtake Zinedine Zidane -- the former number one earner -- in the poll.

Beckham, who is also captain of England's national team, now pockets one million euros more than the Real Madrid player, who is second on the list at 14 million euros.

Ronaldo, Zidane's Real Madrid team mate and Brazilian World Cup star, is the third best paid player with income of 11.7 million euros.

Beckham earns more from endorsed products -- such as Pepsi Cola, Vodafone, Marks and Spencers, and Adidas -- than from playing football for Manchester United. He is seen by analysts as the most marketable football player in the world.

Beckham's United and England team mate, Rio Ferdinand, came fourth earning 9.62 million euros.

The Manchester United midfielder came under fire from France captain and Chelsea defender Marcel Desailly, who said Beckham was more of a show biz personality than a footballer.

"David Beckham is no longer in the soccer world but he is an integral part of show business," Desailly told the French football magazine.

"His wife (former Spice Girl Victoria) is already part of the show biz circles and he's surrounded by people who give him advice, from the shoes he should wear to whether he should get a tattoo," he said.

"Beckham has left the context of traditional football while players like Zidane or (Brazil's) Ronaldo refuse to."

Real Madrid and Inter Milan have four players each in the top twenty rich list. Manchester United have three.

Beckham has been linked to Real Madrid with rumors of a transfer from Old Trafford. Last week, both Real Madrid and Manchester United firmly denied this.

The 20 best paid players are (in euros):

1. David Beckham (Manchester United) 15 million

2. Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid) 14 million

3. Ronaldo (Real Madrid) 11.7 million

4. Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United) 9.62 million

5. Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus) 9.55 million

6. Hidetoshi Nakata (Parma) 9.36 million

7. Raul (Real Madrid) 9.30 million

8. Christian Vieri (Inter Milan) 9.28 million

9. Michael Owen (Liverpool) 8.90 million

10. Roy Keane (Manchester United) 8.65 million

11. Luis Figo (Real Madrid) 8.60 million

12. Gabriel Batistuta (Inter Milan) 8.60 million

13. Sol Campbell (Arsenal) 8.10 million

14. Oliver Kahn (Bayern Munich) 7.65 million

15. Alvaro Recoba (Inter Milan) 7.60 million

16. Francesco Totti (AS Roma) 7.30 million

17. Rivaldo (AC MIlan) 7.20 million

18. Thierry Henry (Arsenal) 6.20 million

19. Fabio Cannavaro (Inter Milan) 6.08 million

20. Paolo Maldini (AC Milan) 6 million

-- Reuters contributed to this report

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Reuters contributed to this report.