Former Portugal captain, Cristiano Ronaldo, has become the first footballer in history to attain billionaire status on a scale exceeding $2bn, following a remarkable rise in his earnings from football, endorsements and business ventures.
The Al Nassr star also remains the world’s highest-paid footballer for the third consecutive year, according to the latest ranking released by Forbes.
Ronaldo, who has consistently topped the list of the world’s highest-paid athletes since 2023, is projected to earn £224m in 2026 from his Saudi Arabian club contract, sponsorship deals and commercial investments.
The 41-year-old’s earnings put him ahead of Argentina captain Lionel Messi and France forward Kylian Mbappe, who are expected to make £108m and £75m, respectively, this year.
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, with projected earnings of £64m, and Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior, who is expected to earn £57m, complete the top five highest-paid footballers.
According to the report, Ronaldo has made financial history by becoming the first footballer to have a net worth exceeding $2bn (£1.5bn).
He is also the first active athlete in sporting history to surpass the figure in career earnings before taxes and agent fees.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is expected to earn £187m from his Al Nassr contract during the 2026/27 season, following the extension of his deal in June 2025.
His endorsement agreements and business interests are projected to contribute an additional £37m to his annual earnings.
Ronaldo’s commercial portfolio includes partnerships with global brands such as Lego, Nike, Panini and Whoop.
However, the Portuguese international could be approaching the end of his reign as the highest-paid footballer, having indicated in August that the current season might be his last.
His contract with Al Nassr is due to expire next summer, while he will turn 42 in February.
Ronaldo made his senior professional debut at the age of 17 in August 2002 and has continued to pursue his ambition of reaching 1,000 career goals.
At the time of the report, he had scored 975 goals in 1,335 appearances for club and country.
Messi’s net worth could rise
Meanwhile, Messi is projected to cross the £1.5bn net worth threshold next year, with his earnings from football and commercial activities continuing to increase.
The former Argentina captain earns an estimated £52m annually from his Inter Miami contract, which he extended in October 2025.
The 39-year-old is expected to remain with the Major League Soccer club until the end of 2028, when he will be 41.
Beyond his football salary, Messi reportedly earns another £56m annually from his business ventures and endorsement agreements.
The Inter Miami forward has previously been named the world’s highest-paid athlete in 2019 and 2022.
However, he finished third on this year’s list, behind Ronaldo and Mexican boxing legend Canelo Alvarez.
