According to Forbes, Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese striker who plies his trade with Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, sits at the pinnacle of the annual ranking of the world’s highest-paid footballers. The 2024 figure reflects a blend of on-field compensation, signing bonuses, and lucrative endorsements that span television, sponsorships, and commercial appearances. Forbes estimates Ronaldo’s total earnings for 2024 at about 285 million dollars, a sum that solidifies his position as the sport’s most financially dominant player and signals a shift in the global market for football talent. In second place is Lionel Messi, the Argentine icon now with Inter Miami, whose revenue is reported around 135 million dollars. Neymar from Al Hilal is cited at roughly 110 million, completing the top three. Karim Benzema from Al-Ittihad is listed at about 104 million, while Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid rounds out the top five with approximately 90 million. The breakdown demonstrates how salaries, prizes, and off-field wealth are converging in a new era where clubs outside Europe can compete in global earnings, reshaping the economics of the game according to Forbes.
On September 29, it became known that Ronaldo was prepared to re-sign with Al-Nassr, extending beyond the 2025 expiry, to remain in top form and gather experience before the 2026 World Cup staged across the United States, Mexico and Canada. The move underlines how club commitments can dovetail with international competition schedules, and how a player can stretch his prime years through a carefully timed extension while staying central to the Saudi league’s ambitions to attract more world-class talent. Ronaldo’s standing in the sport’s earning hierarchy makes his decision notable not just for his own career but for the broader market, where star players from various leagues weigh wages, exposure, and competitive intent when negotiating contracts.
Ronaldo first joined Al-Nassr on January 2, 2023. Reports from Marca and other outlets indicate he earns about 200 million euros each year, a package that includes base pay, performance incentives, and various bonuses tied to team success and personal brand milestones. Additional bonuses and commercial incentives round out the compensation, reflecting the player’s unparalleled market draw. The Portuguese forward arrived in Saudi Arabia after Manchester United terminated his contract amid public tensions with head coach Erik ten Hag, a consequence of a long run of high-profile moments. The arrangement has transformed not just a single club’s finances but the global perception of how far wealth and influence can travel in world football.
Earlier in his career, Ronaldo had already rewritten many records, becoming a benchmark for the intersection of sport and branding. His on-field achievements are matched by a trail of record-breaking sponsorships and a global fan base that translates into revenue across multiple channels. The path from Sporting Lisbon to Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and eventually Al-Nassr is marked by moments that push the sport’s ceiling for what a footballer can earn, both in salaries and in the reach of his name outside the stadium. This persistence helps explain why his earnings attract attention beyond the pitch and why his moves—whether for trophies, appearances, or commercial impact—are watched closely around the world.