How the world’s 20 richest footballers made their money [2025]

If we measure both against numbers, Ronaldo currently has the edge in riches. Estimates from multiple credible sources have Ronaldo’s net worth at $883.8 million and Messi’s at over $700 million. The Portuguese’ more aggressive investment portfolio and commercial monetising powers define the essence of this difference.

Three elements—salary, sponsorships, and business investments—drive Cristiano Ronaldo’s wealth engine. After joining Saudi club Al Nassr in 2023, he negotiated a contract with an annual salary as high as $208 million. This amount even surpasses Lionel Messi’s $130 million annual pay with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer (considering Apple TV’s equity ownership in MLS).

Regarding sponsorships, Cristiano Ronaldo earns $158 million yearly via top-tier brand partnerships with Nike (a lifetime contract worth over $1 billion), TAG Heuer, Louis Vuitton, etc.

His personal brand, “CR7″—from fragrances and clothes to hotel chains (in association with the Pestana Group) and even the hair transplant clinic Insparya—is valued at around $1 billion.

For Cristiano Ronaldo, social media is also a gold mine: each Instagram post is worth $1.4 million, and, with a huge network of 648 million followers, Ronaldo’s yearly income from digital material alone may surpass $50 million.

By comparison, Messi has a “Messi brand” equally strong despite his rather low-key commercial activities. Apart from his lifetime partnership with Adidas and long-term sponsorships with Pepsi and Mastercard, his cooperation with the MIM hotel chain has spread to more than 20 sites all around the world.

Messi’s “national team legend” aura is his special advantage, as, following World Cup victory, his commercial value skyrocketed once more, and jersey sales of the Argentine local brand “Messicore” established a historical record.

Nonetheless, Messi’s wealth increase depends more on conventional football income and a few stock investments, unlike Ronaldo’s diversified investments, which could be the secret to their huge net worth disparity.

However, Faiq Bolkiah, a Brunei royal family member, is the richest person in football rather than these two superstars. Rarely seen at the level of elite football, this “invisible tycoon” has a fortune of $20 billion thanks to family holdings.

Nevertheless, when it comes to the significant influence on the football sector, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi remain the indisputable twin foundations