梅西尽管没能如愿离开巴萨，福布斯杂志的统计表明他依然是最有钱的足球明星，排名第二的是C罗，其后是内马尔。请看本报昨日的报道：

Lionel Messi was denied a potentially money-spinning move away from Barcelona this month after a contract-dispute but the Argentine maestro remains the world’s richest soccer player.

According to a list compiled by Forbes, Messi’s total earnings this year are US$126 million — US$92 million from his salary and US$34 million in endorsements.

Not surprisingly Cristiano Ronaldo comes in second although earnings of US$117 million will soften the blow for the Juventus forward, as will his status as the most followed soccer player in the world on social media.

Neymar comes in third on the Forbes list (US$96 million) with his PSG teammate, 21-year-old Kylian Mbappe, up in fourth spot (US$42 million).

报道中的soften the blow就是“减轻打击”的意思。例如：

If sustained, the current rally in stock markets will soften the blow of the pandemic.

如果股市反弹能够持续，将会减轻疫情的打击。