By Mark Scott

England’s Highest-Paid Footballers

Rising inflation and slowing economic growth have put pressure on most people's salaries. Most, that is, except the soccer players of the English Premier League (EPL), who continue to rack up big bucks even as banks unveil multibillion losses and retailers warn of a prolonged financial downturn. According to consultancy Deloitte, an average EPL player's annual salary now tops $2 million. And some of the league's best-known stars, such as Chelsea's Frank Lampard and Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo, can earn well in excess of $12 million each year, on top of multimillion dollar sponsorship deals with the likes of Nike (NKE) and Adidas (ADSG.DE).

That has made the so-called English "Premiership" a top destination for the world's best soccer players in search of a big pay day. Click on to see who tops the rankings of the EPL's highest-paid stars.