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.
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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