Cristiano Ronaldo Reclaims Title of World’s Highest-Paid Soccer Player in 2023

According to a recent Forbes report, Portuguese star forward Cristiano Ronaldo has regained his status as the world’s highest-paid soccer player in 2023. This marks a comeback for Ronaldo, who had been ranked third in 2022, trailing behind Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain and Lionel Messi of Inter Miami.

Ronaldo’s impressive earnings have been significantly bolstered by a lucrative $200 million-a-year contract with Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr. His endorsements also added an extra $60 million to his annual income, resulting in a total yearly earnings of $260 million. This remarkable feat further solidifies his position as the highest-paid athlete in the world of sports.

Lionel Messi holds the second spot among the highest-paid soccer players globally, amassing a total of $135 million in earnings. Interestingly, Messi’s contract with Inter ($65 million) contributes less to his income than his endorsement deals ($70 million). He is also notable as the first Major League Soccer (MLS) player to make the list since David Beckham back in early 2012.

Brazilian forward Neymar Jr. enters the top ranks at third place, having earned $80 million from his contract with Al Hilal and an additional $32 million in off-field earnings.

Last year’s leader, Kylian Mbappe, has now slipped to fourth place among soccer’s top earners. The PSG star collected $120 million in 2023, with $90 million of that figure stemming from soccer-related earnings.

The Top 10 Highest-Paid Soccer Players in the World for 2023 are as follows:

Cristiano Ronaldo ($260 million)

Lionel Messi ($135 million)

Neymar ($112 million)

Kylian Mbappe ($110 million)

Karim Benzema ($106 million)

Erling Haaland ($58 million)

Mohamed Salah ($53 million)

Sadio Mané ($52 million)

Kevin De Bruyne ($39 million)

Harry Kane ($36 million)