For the third year in a row, Cristiano Ronaldo reigns supreme atop the Forbes list of the world’s highest-paid athletes. With an estimated €246 million in earnings over the past year—including a jaw-dropping €200M salary from Al-Nassr—CR7 continues to set the global standard for sports income.
Footballers Dominate the Top 50
The sport remains a goldmine, especially with Saudi clubs reshaping the financial landscape. Here are the top football earners in Forbes’ global top 50 across all sports:
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr) – €246M
- Lionel Messi (Inter Miami) – €120M (including €55M salary)
- Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad) – €93M (90M in salary)
- Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid) – €80M
- Neymar (Al-Hilal/Santos) – €68M
- Erling Haaland (Man City) – €55M
- Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid) – €49M
- Sadio Mané (Al-Nassr) – €48M
Ronaldo: Still Crushing It at 39
Even at 39 years old, Ronaldo is not just playing—he’s dominating. While his on-pitch influence remains strong, it’s his commercial and financial pull that continues to redefine what an athlete can earn.
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With Saudi Arabia’s deep pockets and global brands still circling, CR7 shows no signs of slowing down—either in goals or in zeros on his paycheck.
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