LISBON — Real Madrid's Jose Mourinho did not attend the FIFA Ballon d'Or gala because he was warned by some of those who voted for him as coach of the year that their votes showed up as supporting other candidates instead. “Am I sorry for not having gone to the gala? No. It was the right decision,” Mourinho told RTP television Tuesday in excerpts from an interview. “One, two or three people called me saying they had voted for me but the vote showed up as cast for somebody else. So, I decided not to go,” he said. The Portuguese coach and former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola lost the 2012 FIFA coach award to Spain's Vicente del Bosque at January's gala. FIFA said in a statement: “FIFA confirms that the list of votes published on FIFA.com is accurate.” Beckham among best-paid David Beckham is out in front as the highest-paid player in world football, according to a report that appears in Tuesday's edition of France Football magazine. The veteran Englishman, who joined Paris Saint-Germain in January on a short-term deal until the end of the season, is nearing the end of his playing career but still comes in ahead of World Player of the Year Lionel Messi and prolific Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo. France Football reports that Beckham will earn 36 million euros ($46.7m) in 2012-13, leaving him just ahead of four-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi. Beckham, who left the Los Angeles Galaxy in December, is reported to have earned an annual salary of 1.7 million euros, with his income supplemented by 1.3 million euros in bonuses and some 33 million euros from other sources, including advertising deals. The 37-year-old Beckham revealed after signing for PSG that all money due to him from his contract with the French giant would be donated to charity. In contrast, Messi's income of 35 million euros includes 13 million in salary and bonuses, with the remainder coming from advertising and other sources. Ronaldo comes in third, with total income reaching 30 million euros, including 13.5 million euros from salary and bonuses. The magazine also reports that Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho is the best-paid coach in the world game, earning 14 million euros a year. Behind him are two Italians, Carlo Ancelotti at Paris Saint-Germain (12 million euros), and Marcello Lippi at Chinese club Guangzhou Evergrande (11 million). Barcelona flying high It was difficult to vote for any other team. Barcelona received maximum points in the AP's latest global football rankings Tuesday, with the team's striker, Lionel Messi, coming close to top marks. Cedric Rouquette of Eurosport in France said: “We rediscovered the best Barcelona at the best possible moment.” Barcelona received the maximum 200 points, with Spanish rival Real Madrid second on 106 points and Italian league leader Juventus third with 92 points. — Agencies
