It pays to be soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo more so than any other athlete on the planet.
The 38-year-old Ronaldo is the highest-paid player in any sport, according to a list released by Forbes. With estimated total earnings of $136 million over the last year, Ronaldo beat out fellow footballers and 2022 World Cup finalists Lionel Messi ($130 million) and Kylian Mbappé ($120 million).
Ronaldo, the Portugal captain, jumped from third on the list in 2022 thanks to a lucrative salary with Saudi Arabian club team Al Nassr believed to be around $75 million. According to USA Today, Ronaldo made around $90 million through off-field means like image rights, appearance fees and endorsements.
Ronaldo’s total net worth around $500 million.
Endorsement deals with a variety of companies, most notably Nike, have helped pad Ronaldo’s net worth. The shoe and athletic wear giant inked Ronaldo to a lifetime contract in 2016 that pays him at least $20 million annually.
(BIOGRAPHY)