Philipp Lahm, Bayern Munich

   2011 earnings: €12.9 million

Philipp Lahm, born in 1983, is a German professional footballer who plays as a defender for Bayern Munich and is the first choice captain for the Germany national team. Lahm started his career in the Bayern Munich Junior Team at the age of 11, and then developed into a professional football player there. He is well known for his pace, dribbling and precise tackling abilities and is considered as one of the best full backs in the world. As a member of the national team, he had two third place finishes at the FIFA World Cup in 2006 and 2010, and was a runner-up of UEFA European Football Championship in 2008.