The Portuguese player is currently the highest-paid athlete in the world thanks to his earnings of over 260 million dollars.
According to Forbes’ yearly rating, Cristiano Ronaldo has reclaimed his title as the highest-paid player in the world for the year 2023. Ronaldo now sits atop the list ahead of Lionel Messi and Neymar.
The Portuguese player is currently the highest-paid athlete in the world thanks to his earnings of over 260 million dollars.
After leaving Manchester United in January, Ronaldo signed a contract with Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, where he now plays professionally. This contract is Ronaldo’s primary source of income. According to reports, the value of this contract is $200 million.
In addition, Ronaldo brings in a large income through numerous endorsements and collaborations with worldwide brands such as Nike and Jacob & Co., which brings his total revenues to over $60 million.
On the Forbes list, Lionel Messi finished in second place with total earnings of over $135 million. Messi is presently playing in Major League Soccer (MLS) with Inter Miami.
It was a momentous moment when Lionel Messi moved to Major League Soccer (MLS), as he became the first MLS player since David Beckham in 2012 to enter Forbes’ top 10 list of highest-paid athletes.
Neymar, a Brazilian soccer star, completes the top three on the list of highest-earning players with cumulative earnings of over $112 million. Neymar’s earnings come from both on and off the field.
His transfer to Al Hilal in the Saudi Pro League in August further highlighted the significance of the league in the world of football, especially considering the fact that four Saudi Pro League players are currently ranked among the top 11 highest-paid athletes in the world.
Forbes estimates that the total revenue of these four Saudi Pro League players accounts for more than half of the $995 million earned by the top 11 players on the rich list. These players are all from the Saudi Pro League.
Next on the list was Kylian Mbappe, who at the time played for the same club as Neymar, Paris Saint-Germain, and placed second in terms of overall earnings with close to $110 million.
Erling Haaland of Manchester City has surpassed the likes of Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne to become the highest-paid player in the Premier League. Haaland’s contract puts him ahead of both players.
Forbes employs a stringent approach to compute on-field earnings, which include prize money, salary, and bonuses received in the preceding year. Off-field earnings, which include sponsorship deals, appearance fees, licensing income, and profits from their enterprises, are also factored into the calculation. (*)