Cristiano Ronaldo Is Earning Almost Twice As Much As Lionel Messi With Forbes Estimating Al Nassr Captain's 2023 Income At $260m
Cristiano Ronaldo is currently earning $125 million more than any other player in world soccer.
That is according to Forbes, who published a list of the 11 highest-paid soccer players this week.
The list estimates how much each of those 11 players is expected to earn in 2023, both in terms of payments from their teams and off-field income, such as sponsorship deals.
Ronaldo can apparently expect to bank $260m by the end of the year, with $200m of that coming directly from his club, Al Nassr.
Cristiano Ronaldo pictured (left) in January holding an Al Nassr jersey after signing a mega-money contract with the Saudi Pro League club
Instagram/alnassr_fc/cristiano
Ronaldo's value to Al Nassr and the club's owners - which include the Saudi Public Investment Fund - is not limited to what he can do on the soccer field. Forbes explained: "Ronaldo's new Saudi employers haven't been shy about taking advantage of his prowess as a celebrity pitchman.
"He appeared in a video posted by Al Nassr, wearing traditional Saudi attire, to promote the Kingdom's National Day, as well as one for the upcoming Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou boxing match in Riyadh.
"He's also continued to plug his own partnerships, with spots for Clear, Herbalife and Binance, among others, appearing on his Instagram account over the past two months."
Second behind Ronaldo on the list is Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi.
Lionel Messi is currently second on the list of the world's highest-paid soccer players
IMAGO/ZUMA Wire/Kevin Schultz
Ronaldo's overall pay is estimated to be nearly twice as much as Messi's.
However, Messi - who rejected a move to Saudi Arabia earlier this year when he turned down an offer from Al-Hilal - is making more than his great rival when it comes to off-field income.
Neymar, after saying yes to Al-Hilal in August - is third on the list, ahead of Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe in fourth.
Another Saudi-based player is fifth in the shape of Al-Ittihad captain Karim Benzema.
Top 11 Highest-Earning Soccer Players 2023
| Player | Age | Club | Income | On-field | Off-field |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Cristiano Ronaldo | 38 | Al Nassr | $260m | $200m | $60m |
2. Lionel Messi | 36 | Inter Miami | $135m | $65m | $70m |
3. Neymar | 31 | Al-Hilal | $112m | $80m | $32m |
4. Kylian Mbappe | 24 | PSG | $110m | $90m | $20m |
5. Karim Benzema | 35 | Al-Ittihad | $106m | $100m | $6m |
6. Erling Haaland | 23 | Man City | $58m | $46m | $12m |
7. Mo Salah | 31 | Liverpool | $53m | $35m | $18m |
8. Sadio Mane | 31 | Al Nassr | $52m | $48m | $4m |
9. Kevin De Bruyne | 32 | Man City | $39m | $35m | $4m |
10. Harry Kane | 30 | Bayern Munich | $36m | $26m | $10m |
11. Robert Lewandowski | 35 | Barcelona | $34m | $24m | $10m |
