Today's biggest football stars earn a lot of money and the situation changes from day to day, while a few years ago at the top of the list was a footballer you would hardly have heard of.

Exactly 10 years ago, Argentine Dario Conca was the third highest paid footballer in the world, right behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who played for Real Madrid and Barcelona.

In 2011, Conca played for Fluminense and won the Brazilian championship.

Previously, he was the best player of the Brazilian Serie A in 2009 and 2010.

Many famous clubs were interested in his services, but he chose money over a better career.

Instead of Europe, he moved to the Chinese Super League and played for Guangzhou Evergrande.

The Chinese club parted with a then-record 10 million dollars, which became the biggest transfer in Chinese football.

But the most interesting thing is the salary.

Conca earned 170 thousand pounds a week (200 thousand euros), which was enough for him to be the third highest paid footballer in the world, after Ronaldo and Messi.

Argentine Dario Conca was once the third best paid player in world football, only Cristiano and Messi earned more at the time.

Conca signed a 2 and 1/2 year deal with Guangzhou in 2011, which saw him take home £170 a week, ranking him as the third best paid player in the world.

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Conca's contract was one of the first big in Chinese football and his path was followed by many European and South American stars who went to China for years and earned big money.

The Argentine was quite good in Guangzhou where he scored 54 goals in 99 appearances.

He played at that club for three years, but caused numerous problems, so he was suspended for nine games because he reacted harshly to the coach's decision to substitute him during a game.

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Telegraph

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