Rico Lewis Net Worth, Salary & Estimated Wealth

Rico Mark Lewis was born in Bury, Greater Manchester, on November 21st, 2004.

Growing up in a sporting family football was always going to play a big part and he was duly sent to Little Kickers, a community scheme based in Radcliffe, close to home.

That was when he was just five years old and a mere twelve months later he was banging in goals left, right and centre for Prestwich Pythons.

Already professional clubs were taking note of this exciting mini-winger and it didn’t take long for Bolton Wanderers to make an approach, offering a tour of their facilities. Others watched on, hugely impressed, but dallied.

But when Manchester City entered the fray, who he supported, there was only going to be one destination. Aged eight, Lewis joined their widely-admired academy, driven to each session by his proud father Rick.

So far, so typical, right? A young boy shows a considerable amount of potential, signs up to an academy, and progresses through the ranks, eventually making the first team.

That is indeed the journey that has taken the Bury teenager to Premier League heights and international recognition.

But to understand Lewis properly and make sense of what has been a meteoric rise, we must first switch sports, to a discipline that usually has the participant kicking heads, not footballs.

How Much Is Rico Lewis Worth?

Of the 26 players in the Manchester City squad remarkably Lewis is on the second lowest wage, his £25,000 a week beneath that of Scott Carson, the Blues’ third-choice keeper, and half that of Oscar Bobb’s salary, his young companion down the City right.

His £1.3m yearly salary is a 16th of what Kevin De Bruyne receives prior to bonuses.

Naturally, we can expect this to change, especially as the teenage star now has a firm foothold in Pep Guardiola’s thinking. Indeed, the third year of his contract will trigger a sizable jump in wages that will see them almost trebled.

There is also the pertinent fact that Lewis is now a full international. That brings with it all manner of commercial opportunities.  

Regardless, for the time being, the 19-year-old’s net worth is a shade under £1.5m.

Thai Boxing 

Rick Lewis, the footballer’s father, was twice British Lightweight champion at Thai Boxing, but when his children came along he decided to compete no more, instead taking up coaching. 

A regular presence at the Pheonix Muay Thai gym in Whitefield, Rick would often take baby Rico along, watching the sparring and pad-work from a pushchair in the corner. 

When he was old enough to walk, Rico was taught how to fight and what’s more, he was good too. There are plenty at the Pheonix who insist he could have followed in his father’s footsteps and become a champion one day.

Instead, aged ten he realised something had to give, with football his priority from that moment on. 

It was his younger sister Sasha who continued the family business, crowned as junior champion in her discipline.

She is also making waves at Manchester City’s academy, as an up-and-coming winger. Earlier this year she was capped at England U16 level.

When we see Rico Lewis make dynamic, energetic runs down the right for City – or invert into midfield such is his skillset under Pep Guardiola - he is routinely kicked to kingdom come. And because of his skinny frame and small size we wince, believing him to be bullied. 

In truth, a robust challenge is nothing compared to what he overcame as the norm in the ring while his opponents should be exceedingly grateful that he gets up each time with a smile. 

Development 

Aged just 15, Lewis was fast-tracked into the Under 18 squad, playing against boys two years his senior. In 2021/22 he was made captain, with City winning the league title that season.

The following campaign saw him make his first-team debut, a late appearance off the bench in an early fixture against Bournemouth and this transpired after impressing Guardiola during pre-season.

It came about too because Carlos Vicens, a trusted assistant to the Catalan, had long been raving about this talented kid who deserved a shot.

Indeed, it was Vicens who revealed to Guardiola that City had signed a winger for the academy purely because he had troubled Lewis in a youth game. The feeling was that if you got the better of the 17-year-old down that flank then you really must be special.

Manchester City 

His debut made, what came next was a swift elevation into establishing himself as a squad member. 

Just three months after making his opening bow, Lewis gained his first start in a Champions League game and by scoring the equaliser against Seville was the youngest player to ever convert on his tournament introduction. 

Soon after he claimed the right-back berth from Kyle Walker – no mean feat for a kid with cake still left over from his 18th birthday – for a string of Premier League fixtures. 

It was around this period when Guardiola spoke glowingly about his protégé. 

“What a player! To find a player like him playing in the pockets, how he has to move as a holding midfielder, moving in the spaces, he is one of the best I've ever trained by far.”

Given the heightened calibre of talent the Catalan has previously coached across his career, that is some praise indeed.

Unsurprisingly, City confirmed the football betting that season by winning the title, but they also won the FA Cup and finally ended their quest to secure a Champions League. 

Still a teenager and with a mere 1780 minutes of professional football to his name, Lewis was already a treble-winner.

The following campaign was supposed to see him kick on, improve even further, but in truth there was a degree of stalling. There were moments for sure but the highlight occurred in August with the signing of a five-year contract that will keep him at the Etihad until 2028. 

This season however, Lewis is firmly back on track. In the opening weeks of 2024/25 he has unquestionably been one of City’s top performers. 

England

Backing individuals in the online betting to excel for England can be a fool’s errand when a new man takes over. He has his own favourites. He has his own ideas. 

Such was the confusion when Lee Carsley took over the reins on an interim basis from Gareth Southgate. It had been a long time since so much intrigue accompanied the announcement of an international squad.

Lewis already had a full ninety minutes for his country under his belt, impressing at left-back against North Macedonia towards the end of 2023, and having played under Carsley at Under 21 level he duly made the cut for a double-header against Ireland and Finland. 

His future at City looks exceedingly bright while on the international stage it appears to be secure, his versatility a huge asset. 

*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*