12. Jorge Jesus – Sporting ($5.59 million annual salary)
When Jorge Jesus decided to leave Benfica after six years managing the club last year, it shocked the football world. He has given that club a total of ten trophies since he took charge in 2009.
He was paid around $4.3 million per year by Benfica. In spite of his success, the club was planning to decrease that amount. Of course, Jesus was unhappy about it. So, he signed a three-year contract with Sporting instead.
Benfica was unhappy about that decision. The club sued him for millions of dollar. But you cannot blame the 62-year-old man because Sporting is willing to pay him $5.6 million per year. Plus, back in the 1970s, Sporting was the club he played for as a young midfielder.
The Portuguese coach retired from professional football in 1990 and jumped into managerial seat right away.
Sporting finished last season under Jesus’s managing team as a runner up in the Portuguese football league, Primeira Liga. Despite losing that title from Benfica, Sporting defeated them in Portuguese Super Cup, Supertaca.
