(Image source from: Instagram.com/cristiano)
Cristiano Ronaldo, a legendary figure in football history, has become the first player in the world to be labeled a 'billionaire'. Ronaldo achieved this feat after finalizing a new deal with Al-Nassr, the team he plays for in the Saudi Pro League. While Ronaldo has always been in a rivalry with Lionel Messi for the top awards in football, this is an area where the Portuguese star has pulled ahead. For most of their careers, both Messi and Ronaldo earned about the same and had similar brand values until Ronaldo chose to join the wealthy Saudi Pro League in 2023, while Messi opted for Major League Soccer in the United States. At the Saudi Pro League club, Ronaldo receives the highest average salary among athletes. Furthermore, since income in Saudi Arabia is tax-free, Ronaldo gets to keep more money compared to what he earned at European teams like Real Madrid or Manchester United.
Combining his various income sources, Bloomberg reported that Ronaldo's wealth has now reached USD 1.4 billion. The report reveals that Ronaldo, now 40 years old, earned over USD 550 million in salary from 2002 to 2023 while playing in Europe. Regarding brand deals, the report mentions that his long-term contract with Nike brings him around USD 18 million each year, and additional contracts with brands such as Armani and Castrol contribute over USD 175 million to his overall wealth. Since he joined Al-Nassr in 2023, Ronaldo has been making approximately USD 200 million per year in salary and bonuses, which are tax-exempt. Additionally, his deal included a signing bonus of USD 30 million. The contract that took him past the billion-dollar milestone was likely an extension he signed with Al-Nassr in June 2025, which is said to be over USD 400 million in value. He also gained a 15% ownership stake in Al-Nassr as part of this agreement.
With an unparalleled social media following (over 660 million on Instagram), a remarkable collection of real estate, and several business investments, Ronaldo is poised to stay among the highest-paid athletes in the world, even after he retires.
