Cristiano Ronaldo is football's first billionaire with a net worth of US$1.4 billion ($2.4b). Photo / Getty Images
Cristiano Ronaldo is football's first billionaire with a net worth of US$1.4 billion ($2.4b). Photo / Getty Images
Cristiano Ronaldo has been named football’s first billionaire, with a net worth of US$1.4 billion ($2.4b).
The 40-year-old Al-Nassr striker’s fortune has been calculated by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, which monitors global net worth rankings.
Factoring in over two decades of career wages, brand deals, and investment portfolio, Bloomberg estimatesRonaldo has pocketed more than US$550 million in wages alone between 2002 and 2023.
Among his most lucrative deals is a long-standing partnership with Nike, reportedly worth US$18m annually. But it was his move to Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr in 2022 that truly redefined football’s pay scale.
Ronaldo’s initial contract meant he became the highest-paid player in football history, with an annual salary of about US$211m ($366m). He’s since extended his stay with a fresh two-year deal said to be worth more than US$400m.
Off the field, Ronaldo’s lifestyle is just as lavish. The father of five recently proposed to longtime partner Georgina Rodriguez, 31, with a diamond ring estimated to be worth between US$2m and US$10m.
Meanwhile, long-time rival Lionel Messi, now playing for Inter Miami, has earned more than US$600 million pre-tax over the course of his career. Since 2023, Messi’s reported annual income sits at US$20 million – roughly a tenth of Ronaldo’s earnings over the same period. Upon retirement, the 38-year-old Argentine star is anticipated to receive a stake in his MLS club, further boosting his financial legacy.
