Cristiano Ronaldo is the first billionaire footballer: $1.4bn fortune

Cristiano Ronaldo, the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus striker, now with the Saudi Arabian team Al-Nassr, has become the first billionaire football player, as reported by Bloomberg, which estimates the Portuguese ace's wealth at USD 1.4 billion. A boost to Ronaldo's wealth, who is able to monetise his image with lavish sponsorships such as Armani, Nike and Castrol, comes from the extension of his contract with Al-Nassr, which was signed last June and is said to have brought more than USD 400 million into the 40-year-old Portuguese's pocket.

For a long time, he and Lionel Messi had similar assets, but in 2023 their positions drastically separated, with Ronaldo moving to the Persian Gulf and Messi joining Inter Miami, a Major League Soccer team. However, the Argentine will pocket a share in the US club once he retires, a deal that could bring him back on a par with his long-time rival.

According to Bloomberg's calculations, Ronaldo earned more than $550 million in salary between 2002 and 2023. He also signed a 10-year deal with Nike for almost $18 million a year and other sponsorships with brands such as Armani and Castrol, adding more than $175 million to his net worth. His move to Al-Nassr in 2023 earned him around $200 million a year in tax-free salaries and bonuses, plus perks such as a $30 million signing bonus. Then, in June, the famous contract extension with the Saudi team, reportedly worth more than $400 million.