Saudi Arabia and Lisbon: The Bloomberg Billionaires Index, which keeps track of the net worth of the world’s richest people, says that Cristiano Ronaldo is now the first football player to join the billionaire club. The 40-year-old Portuguese forward is currently thought to be worth $1.4 billion (₹12,352 crore), which comes from his career earnings, investments, and endorsements.
According to Bloomberg, Ronaldo made more than $550 million (₹4,869 crore) in salary between 2002 and 2023 while playing for prominent European clubs like Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus. He made more than $175 million (₹1,554 crore) from his ten-year deal with Nike, which paid him around $18 million (₹159 crore) a year, as well as endorsements from businesses like Armani and Castrol.
Ronaldo’s high-profile move to Saudi club Al-Nassr in 2023 got him a tax-free annual salary and bonuses of roughly $200 million (₹17,760 crore), with benefits including a $30 million (₹2,664 crore) signing bonus. He just signed a two-year extension to his contract that will keep him at the club until his 42nd birthday and guarantee him more than $400 million (₹35,520 crore) in earnings.
Lionel Messi, Ronaldo’s long-time opponent in Europe, has made more than $600 million (₹53,280 crore) in pre-tax compensation over his career. Messi is guaranteed to make $20 million (₹1,776 crore) a year starting in 2023. This is about 10% of Ronaldo’s income during the same time period. When Messi retires, he will also get an interest in Inter Miami, which might help him get closer to Ronaldo’s net worth.