Beckham wins England bet with Zlatan

International footballers and their love for cars is no surprise to anyone. The players will often have the most expensive cars lined up in their garages, making the odd mix of multiple luxury brands look like they just belong together. Here are the top 5 international football players with the most expensive cars in their possessions.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Ronaldo is well-known for his splurging habits and is the proud owner of more than 20 supercars. While automobiles are definitely his specialty, Ronaldo seems to have a knack for collecting sports cars. As of 2022, this footballer has a Bugatti Veyron, McLaren Senna, Lamborghini Aventador LP-700, Bugatti Chiron, McLaren MP4-12C, and a Porsche 911 Turbo S in his line of sports cars which roughly total up to a little over $18 million.

On days when these beauties rest in his garage, Ronaldo will be seen in one of his two Rolls Royces — a Phantom or a Cullinan with a total worth of $1.3 million.

Other honourable mentions from his garage include three Ferraris, two Bentley cars, and three Porsches.

Lionel Messi

Although Messi does not display his cars quite as much, the collection has not escaped the public eye.

For his regular rides, Messi tends to choose from one of his three Audis, two Range Rovers, or a Cadillac Escalade. Although he owns a number of Maserati Gran Turismos, the MC Stradale definitely ranks among Messi's top choices.

His recent purchase of the classic Ferrari 335S Spider Scaglietti at a whopping $30 million has created quite a buzz. Commonly known as the 'prancing horse of 1957,' this is one of the rarest cars in the world. A rare Pagani Zonda Tricolore and a Mercedes SLS AMG are also among the classy and sporty cars that add to Messi's car extravaganza.

David Beckham

Beckham is easily one of the classiest and wealthiest players to have ever graced the game. The legend has well over 20 of the world's most expensive cars in his possession and the number seems to be ever-growing.

Although Rolls Royce seems to be a popular choice among athletes, Beckham's Drophead Coupe definitely takes the cake. Additionally, the fact that only 50 of these cars exist in the world and one of them is owned by David Beckham, only means that it increases in value by the minute.

The Jaguar F-Type Project 7, which can reach 62 mph in just 3.4 seconds is seen as Beckham's weekend toy. While the player has also been photographed driving his Aston Martin V8 Vantage and Lamborghini Gallardo at various times, the Bentley GT SuperSports, Rolls Royce Ghost, and Chevrolet Camaro SS are also among common rides

Neymar Junior

Much like his fellow footballers, Neymar does not mind splurging over supercars every now and then and expanding his collection.

The Brazilian star player owns some of the most expensive four-wheelers, including a $2 million Maserati MC12, a $2.3 million Aston Martin Vulcan, and a $4.5 million Lamborghini Veneno. His super luxurious garage is also home to numerous Mercedes AMG models, a McLaren 5705, a Range Rover SVA, a Porsche Panamera Turbo, and many more.

Karim Benzema

Following his recent Ballon d'Or victory, Karim Benzema is currently regarded as the world's best player. The sports star is known for his lavish lifestyle as well as love for cars, and his garage houses a stellar collection that keeps growing.

Among Benzema's amazing collection are three Lamborghinis, two Roll-Royces, and two Bugattis. The player also owns a Ferrari 458 Spider, Mercedes AMG, and a Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren. With his larger-than-life personality, this French striker often enjoys showing off his $10 million collection of customised cars on social media.
 

Argentine football superstar Lionel Messi's move to spend the final years of his stellar career in the United States will come as a crushing blow to Barcelona fans who dreamed of a return to the club that nurtured him.

The 35-year-old Messi will be following a well-trodden path of the greats of the 'Beautiful Game' by taking a lucrative pay day in football's less celebrated leagues. Here are some other big names in that list:

Pele -- New York Cosmos (USA) 1975-77

It took the persuasive powers of US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger to lure the man, who vies for the mantle of greatest ever with Messi and Diego Maradona, to the North American Soccer League (NASL) in 1975.

"They want to make soccer big in the United States," Pele told CNN in 2011.

"That was the reason (I went). I started my mission."

Aged 34 at the time, he stirred huge public interest and crowd numbers soared.

Averaging below 10,000 fans a match before his arrival, Cosmos attendances surged to over 40,000. Pele took to the New York nightlife but did not neglect his duties on the pitch, inspiring the team to a Football Bowl title in 1977.

His endorsement of the NASL prompted other legends such as Franz Beckenbauer and George Best to sign up -- though it was to crash and burn in 1984.

Gabriel Batistuta -- Al Arabi (QAT) 2003-05

The Argentine striker took the high road to the previously low-key Q-League on a free transfer and reportedly received $8million to join Al Arabi.

'Batigol's' eye for the back of the net -- which had seen him rattle in the goals for Serie A sides Fiorentina and Roma -- did not desert him in Doha. He scored a record 25 goals for the club in his maiden season.

Batistuta was joined by Pep Guardiola, Frank de Boer and Marcel Desailly as Qatar raised its football profile in what was arguably a key first step towards successfully winning the rights to hosting the 2022 World Cup.

Zico -- Kashima Antlers (JPN) 1991-94

His exploits on the pitch earned him a stint as Brazil's sports minister but despite being in his early forties he broke off his nascent political career to play for second-tier Japanese side Sumitomo Metals.

The task was to secure them a place in the first ever Japanese professional league which was due to kick off its inaugural season in 1993.

Even in early middle age, the Brazilian inspired them to promotion and then to the runner-up spot in the J League -- and the club changed its name to Kashima Antlers.

There is a statue of him outside Kashima's stadium and he draws great pleasure from the subsequent success of Japanese football -- this month Urawa Red Diamonds won their third Asian Champions League crown.

"It was all about starting from scratch and getting the direction right," Zico told FIFA.com last December.

"And look at Japan today. They haven't missed one World Cup since the game went professional there. That's pretty pleasing."

David Beckham -- LA Galaxy (USA) 2007-2012

It was a coup when the MLS franchise secured the signature of arguably European football's highest-profile player at the age of 32, bringing to an end his time as one of Real Madrid's Galacticos.

Beckham's five-year contract -- paying $6.5 million a year -- reaped dividends for Galaxy in terms of a new shirt deal and a huge rise in season ticket sales.

Of far more importance to the former England star, though, was the clause that stated he could buy an MLS franchise -- with the exception of New York -- in the future for a fixed rate of $25 million.

He duly exercised that right in 2014, purchasing Inter Miami.

"I'm not saying me coming over to the States is going to make soccer the biggest sport in America," said Beckham when he signed for Galaxy.

"But I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't think I could make a difference."

Beckham inspired Galaxy to two MLS Cup successes before he returned to European football -- with Paris Saint-Germain.

We know that football players work extraordinarily hard to reach the heights of success and the payment they receive for it often makes us feel extraordinarily poor. Not only do we swoon over their lifestyle, some footballers' tastes, as reflected in their homes, have left us speechless more than once. 

So, here are 5 most beautiful houses of footballers that make us wish we could live there:

Didier Drogba

Drogba's $21 million ivory mansion looks like something straight out of a big-budget Hollywood movie. Complete with seven bedrooms, a leisure complex with an indoor pool, and a wooden staircase spiralling through the middle of the house, this insanely beautiful 11,000 square-feet property is complete with a sports museum within itself. The absolute show-stopper of this house has to be the pool that opens up to a beautiful garden through bi-folding doors. 

Wayne Rooney

Yes, this Manchester United striker has been among the highest-paid footballers in the world for many years and clearly has the money to buy a palace anytime he wants. But that is not what landed him on our list. After buying the Cheshire Mansion for $6 million, Rooney invested his time, effort, and a huge sum of money to turn it into his own dream home. Currently standing on a market valuation of approximately $18 million, his home now includes a large indoor pool, a home theatre, beautifully landscaped gardens, and a sports museum. There is also a golf simulator inside the house. You know, just in case Rooney gets tired of winning too many football matches. 

Cristiano Ronaldo

People say that you can tell a lot about a person from their house and it could not be truer for Cristiano Ronaldo. The star Portuguese player's $7.2 million house is a breath-taking beauty, perfectly portraying the extravaganza in the true Ronaldo fashion. Featuring a whole 8000 square feet of elegance and class, Ronaldo's house consists of seven bedrooms, two swimming pools, a beautiful garden, and a trophy room for him to showcase all his awards. The architectural beauty of this mansion's interior is also presented through various reflective surfaces in the bedroom, living room, and dining hall that speak class and elegance like none other. 

Andres Iniesta 

Andres Iniesta is someone who manages to make a gigantic house look quite homely. The beautiful house was custom-built for him nearly ten years ago, with almost every corner of the house containing a personalised touch as per the player's requirements. His name and shirt number are featured on the exterior wall while his badges from Barcelona and Spain adorn other walls. 

The star player has five bedrooms, a large swimming pool, and a small chapel built inside the house, along with a line of A-class facilities at his disposal. 

David Beckham

Any list of luxury is incomplete without mentioning this iconic English footballer. Beckham and his family currently reside in a mansion befitting their royal image, with eight bedrooms, a spa, a gym, nail bars, and an indoor waterfall! 

The $65 million property has been dubbed the "Beckingham Palace II", with their previous estate in the British countryside to be known as Beckingham Palace I. Oh! And let's not forget David and Victoria's latest purchase, a countryside estate with ten bedrooms overlooking a land large enough to have 380 football pitches. A mic-drop moment for the Beckham pair, and a jaw-drop for us!

The World Cup final between France and Croatia on Sunday was briefly interrupted when three intruders affiliated to anti-Kremlin punk band Pussy Riot ran onto the pitch before being hauled off by stewards.

The pitch invaders, who were dressed in police-style outfits, were later detained by police, one of them told Reuters by telephone from a police station near Moscow's Luzhniki stadium, venue for the match.

In a post on its Facebook page, the group said its action was intended to draw attention to what it said were human rights abuses in Russia.

Three of Pussy Riot's original members were jailed in 2012 for staging a protest against Russian President Vladimir Putin in a church and the group have since become a symbol of anti-Kremlin direct action.

In the second half of Sunday's match, the three people wearing white shirts with police-style epaulettes, black trousers and police hats ran out onto the pitch from the area behind the French goal. A fourth person tried to run onto the pitch but was tackled on the sidelines.

The three ran about 50 metres, dispersing in different directions, before stewards wearing high-visibility jackets tackled them to the ground and dragged them off the pitch.

One photograph on social media showed one of the pitch invaders, a woman with blonde hair tucked under a police cap, performing a high-five with France player Kylian Mbappe before being caught.

The match, watched from the stands by Putin and the French and Croatian presidents, was halted, but resumed about 25 seconds later. A witness at the stadium said he had seen police escorting the pitch invaders out of the stadium grounds.

The pitch invasion was the first significant security lapse in the five-week tournament that has won hosts Russia widespread praise for their good organisation and efficiency.

Pussy Riot member Olga Kurachyova told Reuters she was one of the pitch invaders and was being held at Luzhniki police station. She said she could not speak further because police were trying to take her mobile phone away from her.

Moscow police said in a statement that three young women and a young man had been detained after running onto the pitch.

LIST OF DEMANDS

In its Facebook post, Pussy Riot complained of rights abuses in Russia. They alluded to Oleg Sentsov, a Ukrainian filmmaker jailed for 20 years in 2015 for setting fire to two offices in Crimea, including one belonging to Russia's ruling party, after Moscow annexed the region from Ukraine.

Pussy Riot said their demands included freeing political prisoners in Russia, freedom of speech on the internet, freedom to protest, and allowing political competition.

The group shared a video on social media recorded before the incident featuring three female activists, at least two of whom were among those detained. They wore police uniforms and one of them wore a pink balaclava.

"The World Cup has shown wonderfully what the police can be like in Russia, but what will happen afterwards?" one of the activists asked in the video, an apparent allusion to lenient policing noted by Russians during the tournament.

A separate video posted on social media appeared to show the moments after the pitch invaders had been detained.

Two of them, a man and a woman, could be seen standing in a room, dressed in dishevelled police uniforms, while a voice off camera demanded handcuffs be brought.

"Do you know that Russia will pay for this to FIFA through sanctions?" the off-camera voice said, in an angry tone. "You wanted to shit on Russia, didn’t you?"

"We are for Russia," the male detainee replied.

"Sometimes I regret that it's not 1937," the person off- camera in the video said. That year was the height of political repressions carried out by Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.

Photographs of the pitch invasion suggested the pitch invaders did not include the three Pussy Riot members who were jailed in 2012 for performing in the church.

Russian news website MediaZona, co-founded by one of the original three Pussy Riot members, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, reported that one of the pitch invaders was Pyotr Verzilov, Tolokonnikova's husband.

L-R: KYLIAN MBAPPE, EDEN HAZARD, LUKA MODRIC, HARRY KANE

The semifinal line-up is complete and two intriguing, all-European ties lie in wait. But while the teams in the last four of Russia 2018 hail from the same continent, the similarities end there. France, Belgium, England and Croatia all boast very different attributes. This article on FIFA.COM takes a look at the salient features of the four semifinalists.

FRANCE: VERSATILITY

Not so long ago, Didier Deschamps would have been criticised for this aspect of his France team, with some journalists alleging that Les Bleus had a thousand faces and no real identity. In fact, it is emerging as a vital attribute. Functional during their group matches, France were spectacular against Argentina, then solid and efficient against Uruguay. Three different French teams? No -- the same, but with different tactics.

France know how to adapt their style depending on their opponents, and that is a rare and precious ability. The tactical set-up can be 4-3-3 one match and 4-2-3-1 the next, while Deschamps can decide to use Olivier Giroud's size or Kylian Mbappe's speed to destabilise defences. As we've seen during this World Cup, there are no weak teams anymore and even giants like Germany and Spain had a hard time playing 'their game'. Possession doesn't ensure victory and experience doesn't guarantee success. Options are everything.

BELGIUM: TEAM SPIRIT

The Belgians arrived with one of the best squads on paper, but their biggest success in Russia has been establishing strong collective values.

This may represent their most important asset simply because it has not always been present in the past. Nor has this Belgium team previously been famed for resilience, which they showed in bucket-loads against both Japan and Brazil. Their star individuals, including the magic trio of Eden Hazard, Kevin de Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, have stepped up when needed. But it's also worth noting that the Red Devils have had nine different goalscorers in Russia. Everyone is playing their part.

Roberto Martinez, too, seems to be the right man at the right time, as he looks to have found a way to get the best from his collection of stars and bring them together as a unit. In this Belgian squad, everyone is fit to play and ready to make sacrifices on the pitch or, in some cases, to accept their status as substitutes and support their team-mates.

ENGLAND: VARIETY

Picking a single strength to define England is increasingly difficult, as Gareth Southgate's side continue to find new and different ways to win. We're all becoming accustomed to how this young, ever-improving side uses confidence, a modern system and togetherness to its advantage. They are prepared for any match situation, any opposition and their game management is ruthlessly effective.

England have even won their first World Cup penalty shootout here in Russia, and that is before we even begin to examine the individual stars, from their heroic goalkeeper Jordan Pickford to the talisman and tournament top-scorer, Harry Kane - each just 24 years of age.

This could be the most complete England side we have seen since 1990, the last time the Three Lions reached a semi-final. Yet this team, with its modern, patient and composed approach to the game, is also breaking the Three Lions mould. They are here to make their own history.

CROATIA: MIDFIELD TALENT

Given the manner in which they sailed through arguably Russia 2018's most difficult group, and survived two stern tests in the knockout stages, Croatia have been one of the teams of the tournament. The greatest asset that Zlatko Dalic's side possess is undoubtedly their midfield, which ranks as one of the best at this World Cup. The players in that department of the team almost always seem composed, organised and unruffled.

Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic are the lynchpins of this Croatia team. It is not often that players from Madrid and Barcelona combine to such devastating effect, but that is exactly what Rakitic is doing with Modric at the heart of the Vatreni engine room. They are far from alone though. Add in Inter Milan's Marcelo Brozovic, Real Madrid's Mateo Kovacic, Fiorentina's Milan Badelj and it all adds up to a truly superb generation of Croatian midfielders.