Cristiano Ronaldo Becomes Football's First Billionaire — Where Does Messi Stand?
During the major part of his career, Ronaldo has earned fortunes by inking lucrative sponsorship deals with companies such as Armani and Nike.
Cristiano Ronaldo is known for breaking records after record on the football pitch. Now, the Portuguese forward has achieved another milestone, but this time off the pitch, as he is now the first footballer to become a billionaire, ahead of Lionel Messi.
According to the Bloomberg Billionaire Index, which is valuing Ronaldo's wealth for the first time, the footballer's net wealth has climbed to $1.4 billion, making him the first athlete in the sport to achieve that status.
During the major part of his career, Ronaldo has earned fortunes by inking lucrative sponsorship deals with companies such as Armani and Nike.
However, throughout his career in Europe, his wages were largely similar to that of Lionel Messi, his fierce rival, with whom the forward shared the limelight for over a decade.
But things changed rapidly in 2023 when Ronaldo opted to move to Saudi Arabia, joining Al Nassr. Messi, on the other hand, joined Inter Miami in the Major League Soccer.
Bloomberg reports that Ronaldo earned over $550 million in salary between 2002 and 2023. But his 2023 transfer to Al Nassr earned him $200 million yearly in tax-free salary and bonuses, in addition to perks including a $30 million signing bonus.
Ronaldo also has a decade-long deal with Nike, which helps him earn around $18 million annually. Other endorsements with brands like Armani and Castrol have added $175 million to his net worth.
Messi, on the other hand, earned $600 million in pre-tax salary over his career, including $20 million annual guaranteed pay at Inter Miami since 2023.
Apart from salaries and sponsorships, Ronaldo has amassed a wide range of business including his own CR7 brand, a hotel chain and gyms. He also has an extensive list of real estate holdings, an estate in Quinta da Marinha, a luxury golf resort on the outskirts of Lisbon, that reportedly cost about €20 million.
In addition to his wealth, Ronaldo is also the most popular person on Instagram with 660 million followers.
