11/01/2025
11/01/2025
PARIS, Jan 11: The French website Foot Mercato has unveiled a fascinating statistic that places Cristiano Ronaldo at the top once again, surpassing his long-standing rival Lionel Messi.
Ronaldo, the captain and star of Saudi Arabia's Al-Nassr, leads the list of the highest-paid players in global football. According to the report, the Portuguese icon earned an astounding €263 million in 2024.
Breaking down the earnings, Ronaldo receives €203 million as his salary from Al-Nassr and an additional €60 million from sponsorships and his expanding social media presence. Notably, his recently launched YouTube channel set a record as the fastest to reach one million subscribers.
Lionel Messi, the Argentine captain of Inter Miami, ranks second with an annual income of €124 million.
Neymar Jr., the Brazilian star of Al-Hilal, holds third place with a salary of €101 million, followed by Al-Ittihad captain Karim Benzema with €96 million.
In fifth place is French forward Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid, earning €86 million annually. Norwegian striker Erling Haaland of Manchester City ranks sixth with €55 million.
Real Madrid and Brazil's rising star Vinícius Júnior comes in seventh with €51 million, while Egyptian sensation Mohamed Salah claims the eighth spot with €49 million.
The figures highlight the remarkable financial rewards for football's top stars, with Ronaldo continuing to set new records both on and off the field.