BELGIAN CHALLENGER PRO LEAGUE · DEFENDERS · 2026/27
Highest paid Belgian Challenger Pro League defenders
Thomas Foket is the best-paid defender in the Belgian Challenger Pro League, on £8,600 a week at RSC Anderlecht Futures, or £447,200 a year. Igor Plastun is next on £7,100 at KAS Eupen. We hold wages for 140 Belgian Challenger Pro League defenders in 2026/27.
BEST PAID £9k
AVERAGE WAGE £1,529
SHARE OF WAGE BILL27%
TOP 10 A WEEK £46k
WAGES HELD140
The 50 best-paid Belgian Challenger Pro League defenders
Weekly wage, 2026/27. A player who plays in two areas of the pitch is on both lists, at the full wage.
| # | PLAYER | WEEKLY | YEARLY | CLUB | AGE | POSITION | NATION |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thomas Foket | £8,600£9k | £447,200£447k | RSC Anderlecht Futures | 30 | Right-back | Belgium |
| 2 | Igor Plastun | £7,100£7k | £369,200£369k | KAS Eupen | 34 | Centre-back | Ukraine |
| 3 | Martin Wasiński | £4,900£5k | £254,800£255k | Royal Football Club de Liège | 21 | Centre-back, defensive midfielder | Belgium |
| 4 | Alexis de Sart | £4,500£5k | £234,000£234k | Royal Football Club de Liège | 28 | Right-back, defensive midfielder | Belgium |
| 5 | Ibrahim Digberekou | £4,100£4k | £213,200£213k | KSC Lokeren | 20 | Centre-back | Belgium |
| 6 | Nathan de Medina | £3,900£4k | £202,800£203k | Royal Olympic Club Charleroi | 27 | Centre-back | Belgium |
| 7 | Nunzio Engwanda | £3,900£4k | £202,800£203k | RSC Anderlecht Futures | 17 | Centre-back | Belgium |
| 8 | Denys Prychynenko | £3,400£3k | £176,800£177k | K Patro Eisden Maasmechelen | 33 | Centre-back, defensive midfielder | Ukraine |
| 9 | Kayden Pierre | £3,000£3k | £156,000£156k | KRC Jong Genk | 22 | Right-back | United States |
| 10 | Nilton Varela | £2,900£3k | £150,800£151k | K Beerschot Voetbalclub Antwerpen | 24 | Left-back | Portugal |
| 11 | Nicolas Gavory | £2,900£3k | £150,800£151k | KAS Eupen | 30 | Left-back | France |
| 12 | Tibo Persyn | £2,600£3k | £135,200£135k | Racing White Daring Molenbeek Brussels | 23 | Right-back | Belgium |
| 13 | Benoit Olivier | £2,500£3k | £130,000£130k | K Patro Eisden Maasmechelen | 21 | Left-back | Belgium |
| 14 | Brad Manguelle | £2,500£3k | £130,000£130k | KRC Jong Genk | 17 | Centre-back | Belgium |
| 15 | Alexis Calant | £2,500£3k | £130,000£130k | KSC Lokeren | 28 | Centre-back | France |
| 16 | Amine Mahroug | £2,500£3k | £130,000£130k | RSC Anderlecht Futures | 17 | Left-back | Belgium |
| 17 | Viktor Boone | £2,500£3k | £130,000£130k | SK Beveren | 27 | Centre-back | Belgium |
| 18 | Bruno Godeau | £2,500£3k | £130,000£130k | SK Beveren | 33 | Centre-back | Belgium |
| 19 | Christian Akpan | £2,400£2k | £124,800£125k | KRC Jong Genk | 20 | Left-back | Nigeria |
| 20 | Diego Cámara | £2,400£2k | £124,800£125k | KSC Lokeren | 27 | Centre-back | Spain |
| 21 | Dorian Dessoleil | £2,400£2k | £124,800£125k | Royal Francs Borains | 32 | Centre-back | Belgium |
| 22 | Christophe Janssens | £2,400£2k | £124,800£125k | SK Beveren | 27 | Centre-back, left midfielder | Belgium |
| 23 | Emmanuel Sarfo | £2,300£2k | £119,600£120k | KRC Jong Genk | 18 | Right-back | Belgium |
| 24 | Jarno Vervaque | £2,100£2k | £109,200£109k | KSC Lokeren | 24 | Right-back | Belgium |
| 25 | Jonás Ramalho | £2,100£2k | £109,200£109k | Royal Olympic Club Charleroi | 32 | Centre-back | Angola |
| 26 | Karol Youndje Sihom | £2,000£2k | £104,000£104k | KAS Eupen | 20 | Left-back | Belgium |
| 27 | Kaïs Barry | £2,000£2k | £104,000£104k | RSC Anderlecht Futures | 19 | Centre-back | Belgium |
| 28 | Madiou Keita | £1,900£2k | £98,800£99k | Racing White Daring Molenbeek Brussels | 20 | Centre-back | Guinea |
| 29 | Mats Lemmens | £1,900£2k | £98,800£99k | Racing White Daring Molenbeek Brussels | 23 | Centre-back | Belgium |
| 30 | Noah Dodeigne | £1,900£2k | £98,800£99k | Racing White Daring Molenbeek Brussels | 22 | Left-back | Belgium |
| 31 | Matthias Francotte | £1,900£2k | £98,800£99k | Royal Francs Borains | 27 | Right-back, right midfielder | Belgium |
| 32 | Pietro Perdichizzi | £1,800£2k | £93,600£94k | Koninklijke Lierse Sportkring | 32 | Centre-back | Belgium |
| 33 | Pierre-Yves Ngawa | £1,800£2k | £93,600£94k | Royal Football Club de Liège | 33 | Centre-back | Belgium |
| 34 | Rune Paeshuyse | £1,700£2k | £88,400£88k | KAS Eupen | 23 | Centre-back | Belgium |
| 35 | Sam Vanderhallen | £1,600£2k | £83,200£83k | Koninklijke Lierse Sportkring | 21 | Centre-back | Belgium |
| 36 | Sébastien Dewaest | £1,600£2k | £83,200£83k | Royal Francs Borains | 34 | Centre-back | Belgium |
| 37 | Brian Plat | £1,500£2k | £78,000£78k | K Beerschot Voetbalclub Antwerpen | 25 | Centre-back | Netherlands |
| 38 | Axl Wins | £1,500£2k | £78,000£78k | Club NXT | 17 | Centre-back | Belgium |
| 39 | Brent Laes | £1,500£2k | £78,000£78k | Koninklijke Lierse Sportkring | 25 | Left-back | Belgium |
| 40 | Alpha Amadou Barry | £1,500£2k | £78,000£78k | KRC Jong Genk | 18 | Left-back | Netherlands |
| 41 | Victor Barbosa | £1,500£2k | £78,000£78k | Racing White Daring Molenbeek Brussels | 18 | Left-back, central midfielder | New Zealand |
| 42 | Basile Vroninks | £1,500£2k | £78,000£78k | RSC Anderlecht Futures | 18 | Right-back | Belgium |
| 43 | Djovkar Doudaev | £1,400£1k | £72,800£73k | Racing White Daring Molenbeek Brussels | 21 | Centre-back | Belgium |
| 44 | Yentl Van Genechten | £1,300£1k | £67,600£68k | KAS Eupen | 24 | Right-back | Belgium |
| 45 | Hannes Vernemmen | £1,200£1k | £62,400£62k | Jong KAA Gent | 20 | Centre-back, defensive midfielder | Belgium |
| 46 | Hasan Jahić | £1,200£1k | £62,400£62k | Royal Olympic Club Charleroi | 23 | Centre-back | Norway |
| 47 | Jordan Renson | £1,100£1k | £57,200£57k | K Patro Eisden Maasmechelen | 29 | Centre-back | Belgium |
| 48 | Jonas Lietaert | £1,100£1k | £57,200£57k | KSC Lokeren | 20 | Centre-back, defensive midfielder | Belgium |
| 49 | Jonathan D'Ostilio | £1,100£1k | £57,200£57k | Royal Football Club de Liège | 31 | Left-back | Belgium |
| 50 | Bas Van den Eynden | £1,078£1k | £56,056£56k | K Beerschot Voetbalclub Antwerpen | 23 | Centre-back, defensive midfielder | Belgium |
What each position earns in the Belgian Challenger Pro League
Average weekly wage of the players aged 22 or over we hold a wage for
Defenders take 27% of what the Belgian Challenger Pro League pays its players of that age. The four shares add up to the whole bill, because a player who plays in two areas gives half the wage to each.
The clubs that pay their defenders the most
Every defender wage we hold at each Belgian Challenger Pro League club, added together, a week
RSC Anderlecht Futures pay 7 defenders £20,231 a week between them, and Thomas Foket takes 43% of it.
The best-paid defender at every Belgian Challenger Pro League club
15 clubs, 2026/27, with where each ranks among the league's defenders
| CLUB | PLAYER | WEEKLY | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSC Anderlecht Futures | Thomas Foket | £8,600£9k | 1 |
| KAS Eupen | Igor Plastun | £7,100£7k | 2 |
| Royal Football Club de Liège | Martin Wasiński | £4,900£5k | 3 |
| KSC Lokeren | Ibrahim Digberekou | £4,100£4k | 5 |
| Royal Olympic Club Charleroi | Nathan de Medina | £3,900£4k | 6 |
| K Patro Eisden Maasmechelen | Denys Prychynenko | £3,400£3k | 8 |
| KRC Jong Genk | Kayden Pierre | £3,000£3k | 9 |
| K Beerschot Voetbalclub Antwerpen | Nilton Varela | £2,900£3k | 10 |
| Racing White Daring Molenbeek Brussels | Tibo Persyn | £2,600£3k | 12 |
| SK Beveren | Viktor Boone | £2,500£3k | 17 |
| Royal Francs Borains | Dorian Dessoleil | £2,400£2k | 21 |
| Koninklijke Lierse Sportkring | Pietro Perdichizzi | £1,800£2k | 32 |
| Club NXT | Axl Wins | £1,500£2k | 38 |
| Jong KAA Gent | Hannes Vernemmen | £1,200£1k | 45 |
| RFC Seraing | Noa Lukebadio | £618£618 | 87 |
The best-paid defender in every men's league
43 leagues, ordered by their best-paid defender. The Belgian Challenger Pro League ranks 33rd.
| LEAGUE | BEST PAID | WEEKLY | AVERAGE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi Pro League | Kalidou Koulibaly | £497,000£497k | £40,351£40k |
| Premier League | Virgil van Dijk | £350,000£350k | £69,840£70k |
| Bundesliga | Dayot Upamecano | £331,000£331k | £42,331£42k |
| Ligue 1 | Lucas Hernández | £316,000£316k | £27,702£28k |
| La Liga | João Cancelo | £249,000£249k | £37,418£37k |
| Serie A | John Stones | £200,000£200k | £36,415£36k |
| Süper Lig | Milan Škriniar | £166,000£166k | £15,078£15k |
| Superleague Greece | Stefan de Vrij | £117,000£117k | £10,420£10k |
| Championship | Kieran Trippier | £115,000£115k | £18,082£18k |
| Eredivisie | Lutsharel Geertruida | £99,000£99k | £8,088£8k |
| Major League Soccer | Jordi Alba | £85,000£85k | £7,805£8k |
| Scottish Premiership | Ben Godfrey | £80,000£80k | £5,860£6k |
| Primeira Liga | Jakub Kiwior | £58,000£58k | £5,910£6k |
| La Liga 2 | David López | £58,000£58k | £4,473£4k |
| Russian Premier League | Matheus Reis | £57,000£57k | £12,772£13k |
| Brasileirão Série A | Guillermo Maripán | £53,000£53k | £8,284£8k |
| Belgian Pro League | Matteo Dams | £49,000£49k | £5,133£5k |
| League One | Wes Morgan | £46,000£46k | £5,700£6k |
| 2. Bundesliga | Yannick Gerhardt | £42,000£42k | £8,296£8k |
| Super Liga | Nicolás Otamendi | £41,000£41k | £3,253£3k |
| Danish Superliga | Rasmus Kristensen | £39,000£39k | £5,418£5k |
| Ekstraklasa | Attila Szalai | £36,000£36k | £2,883£3k |
| Serie B | Federico Baschirotto | £33,000£33k | £6,876£7k |
| Czech First League | David Jurásek | £29,000£29k | £1,857£2k |
| Chinese Super League | Matheus Jussa (Matheus Isaias dos Santos) | £27,000£27k | £4,788£5k |
| Liga MX | Kenedy | £25,000£25k | £6,926£7k |
| Austrian Bundesliga | Stefan Lainer | £21,000£21k | £4,095£4k |
| Ligue 2 | Frédéric Guilbert | £18,000£18k | £4,556£5k |
| J1 League | Gotoku Sakai | £15,000£15k | £3,457£3k |
| Croatian First League | Ronaël Pierre-Gabriel | £15,000£15k | £2,078£2k |
| Thai League | Erik Sviatchenko | £14,000£14k | £2,172£2k |
| Eliteserien | Hrannar Snær Magnússon | £13,000£13k | £1,630£2k |
| Belgian Challenger Pro League | Thomas Foket | £8,600£9k | £1,529£2k |
| League Two | Alfie Dorrington | £8,500£9k | £2,352£2k |
| Categoría Primera A | Frank Fabra | £8,300£8k | £3,994£4k |
| Scottish Championship | Leon King | £8,000£8k | £952£952 |
| A-League | Jacob Farrell | £6,100£6k | £1,262£1k |
| Indian Super League | Anwar Ali | £4,500£5k | £595£595 |
| National League | Jake Rooney | £4,100£4k | £1,165£1k |
| I-League | Jamie McCart | £4,100£4k | £547£547 |
| Veikkausliiga | Alfie Cicale | £2,500£3k | £646£646 |
| Canadian Premier League | Curtis Ofori | £1,400£1k | £443£443 |
| Meistriliiga | Modou Tambedou | £484£484 | £152£152 |
Frequently asked questions
Who is the highest paid defender in the Belgian Challenger Pro League?
Thomas Foket of RSC Anderlecht Futures, on £8,600 a week in 2026/27, or £447,200 a year. Igor Plastun of KAS Eupen is second on £7,100 a week.
How much do Belgian Challenger Pro League defenders earn?
The average Belgian Challenger Pro League defender aged 22 or over earns £1,529 a week, and the median one £1,000. Defenders take 27% of what the Belgian Challenger Pro League pays its players of that age.
Which Belgian Challenger Pro League club pays its defenders the most?
RSC Anderlecht Futures, £20,231 a week across the 7 defenders we hold a wage for, led by Thomas Foket on £8,600.
Who is the highest paid defender in football?
Of the 43 men's leagues we rank defenders in, the best-paid is Kalidou Koulibaly of Al-Hilal Saudi Football Club in the Saudi Pro League, on £497,000 a week. The best-paid in the Belgian Challenger Pro League ranks 33rd of the 43 leagues on that measure.
Where to next
The same Belgian Challenger Pro League squads, cut a different way
See the highest paid Belgian Challenger Pro League players in every position, the best-paid player at every club, what Belgian Challenger Pro League players are paid at every age, or the Belgian Challenger Pro League wage bill, club by club.