QPR shareholder Lakshmi Mittal is the richest man in British football, according to new research.

The London-based Indian steel magnate, who owns a 20 per cent stake in the Loftus Road club, is worth an estimated £18.4billion, according to the 2009 FourFourTwo.com Rich List.

The annually-published list ranks Mittal above last year's leader, Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan, who has a fortune of £17billion.

Mittal has largely taken a back seat to owners Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone since investing in QPR in December 2007 but he would appear the real financial power at the club.

Formula One supremo Ecclestone, however, is ranked eighth in the list with £1.466billion.

Third is Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich with £7.8billion - an increase of £800million on his position last year.

That rise is more than the Russian's total outlay at Stamford Bridge since his takeover in 2003.

Arsenal shareholders Stan Kroenke (£2.709billion) and Alisher Usmanov (£1.3billion) are fifth and ninth respectively. The Glazer family, owners of Manchester United, are seventh with £1.75billion.

David Beckham is in a league of his own in terms of player value, with a fortune of £125million.

The England and Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder is well clear of Manchester United pair Michael Owen (£38million) and Wayne Rooney (£37million).

Two more United players, Rio Ferdinand (£30million) and Ryan Giggs (£24million), make up the top five.

England boss Fabio Capello is the richest manager with £30million ahead of Roy Keane (Ipswich) and Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester United) with £27million and £22million respectively.

THE RICH LIST

Lakshmi Mittal (QPR) £18.4billion

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nayan (Manchester City) £17billion

Roman Abramovich (Chelsea) £7.8billion

Joe Lewis (Tottenham) £2.5billion

Stan Kroenke (Arsenal) £2.079billion

Denis O'Brien (Celtic) £1.73billion

Malcolm Glazer and family (Manchester Utd) £1.5billion

Bernie Ecclestone (QPR) £1.466billion

Alisher Usmanov (Arsenal) £1.3billion

Lord Grantchester and family (Everton) £1.2billion

TOP PLAYERS

David Beckham £125million

Michael Owen (Manchester Utd) £38million

Wayne Rooney (Manchester Utd) £37million

Rio Ferdinand (Manchester Utd) £30million

Ryan Giggs (Manchester Utd) £24million

Michael Ballack (Chelsea) £22million

Frank Lampard (Chelsea) £21million

Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) £20million

John Terry (Chelsea) £18million

Didier Drogba (Chelsea) £16million

TOP MANAGERS

Fabio Capello (England) £30million

Roy Keane (Ipswich) £27million

Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester Utd) £22million

Carlo Ancelotti (Chelsea) £17million

Sven-Goran Eriksson (Notts County) £15million

Arsene Wenger (Arsenal) £15million

Harry Redknapp (Tottenham) £10million

Rafael Benitez (Liverpool) £9million

Martin O'Neill (Aston Villa) £9million

Mark Hughes (Manchester City) £8million