Cristiano Ronaldo has become football’s first multi-billionaire, according to Forbes, after earning an estimated £225 million over the past year.
The 41-year-old Portuguese forward reportedly surpassed $2 billion in career earnings earlier this year, six years after becoming the first footballer to reach $1 billion in career earnings.
Ronaldo has retained his position as the world’s highest-paid footballer, with his earnings driven by his contract with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, alongside endorsements and business interests.
Al-Nassr Salary Drives Ronaldo’s Earnings
Ronaldo’s earnings include an estimated £488,000 per day from his Al-Nassr salary. Forbes estimates that he also generated approximately £42 million from off-field activities during the year.
Those earnings include sponsorship agreements and commercial ventures, with his off-field income alone exceeding the total annual earnings of all but four other players on the list.
His latest financial milestone comes days after he was reportedly fined £215 by Portuguese authorities for walking out on the national team during the recent international window.
Messi Ranks Second Behind Longtime Rival
Lionel Messi occupies second place on the Forbes list, with estimated earnings of £109 million over the past year.
The Inter Miami forward generated more than £52 million from football-related earnings and approximately £56 million from sponsorships and commercial agreements.
Ronaldo and Messi have occupied the top two positions on the list for the 12th time in the past 13 years. Messi is also expected to approach the $2 billion career earnings milestone.
Mbappe, Haaland and Vinicius Complete Top Five
Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe ranks third, with estimated annual earnings of £75 million.
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland follows in fourth place with £64 million, while Real Madrid teammate Vinicius Jr completes the top five with £57 million.
Vinicius has increased his reported earnings from £44 million last year following the signing of a new six-year contract in August. His growing commercial profile, including his position as a leading figure in Brazil’s national team following Neymar’s departure from that role, has also contributed to the increase.
Yamal Leads the Next Group of High Earners
Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal ranks sixth after earning an estimated £41 million over the past year.
He is followed by Sadio Mane and Jude Bellingham, who each recorded earnings of £40 million. Mane’s position reflects the lucrative contract he signed with Al-Nassr, where he plays alongside Ronaldo.
England captain Harry Kane ranks ninth with £31 million. His earnings could increase further if he agrees to a reported contract extension with Bayern Munich. Kane also serves as the main football ambassador for sportswear brand Skechers.
Salah Completes the Top 10
Mohamed Salah rounds out the top 10, with estimated earnings of £30 million over the past year.
The former Liverpool forward agreed to end the final year of his contract during the summer before joining Turkish club Trabzonspor as a free agent.
Trabzonspor confirmed that Salah’s deal includes guaranteed earnings of £14.5 million per season, in addition to performance-related bonuses. The agreement also entitles him to 20 per cent of revenue from products sold by the club that feature his name.
Forbes’ Highest-Paid Footballers in 2026
The reported annual earnings of the 10 highest-paid footballers are:
- Cristiano Ronaldo — £225 million
- Lionel Messi — £109 million
- Kylian Mbappe — £75 million
- Erling Haaland — £64 million
- Vinicius Jr — £57 million
- Lamine Yamal — £41 million
- Sadio Mane — £40 million
- Jude Bellingham — £40 million
- Harry Kane — £31 million
- Mohamed Salah — £30 million
