It pays to be soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo—more so than any other athlete on the planet.
According to Sportico, the Portuguese sports icon remained the world’s highest-paid athlete in 2023 with a whopping $275 million in earnings. The 39-year-old, who signed a contract with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr FC reportedly worth up to around $200 million per year, was almost $60 million ahead of golfer Jon Rahm ($203 million) in second place.
Generally, soccer players dominated the top of the list though. Lionel Messi was a distant third ($130 million), with Kylian Mbappé fifth ($125 million), and Neymar sixth ($121 million).
The Sportico estimate marks a significant jump in earnings for five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo, more than double what he made in 2022 according to a similar list from Forbes.
In addition to Ronaldo’s large playing salary with Al-Nassr, USA Today has estimated he makes around $90 million through off-field means like image rights, appearance fees, and endorsements. So with Ronaldo clearly winning on and away from the pitch, what is his actual net worth?
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Net Worth, Explained
According to The Sporting News, reports from September 2023 listed Ronaldo’s total net worth around $500 million. Celebrity Net Worth is even more generous, estimating the value of the Portugal national team captain at $600 million.
Ronaldo, who began his senior club career in 2002, became the first active team-sport athlete to pass $1 billion in career earnings in 2020. The only two athletes from any sport to reach the mark before him were golfer Tiger Woods and boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr., according to CBS Sports.
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. Business Insider reported that in just the first year of the deal, Ronaldo’s social media presence alone generated $476 million in media value for Nike, making the company’s investment a no-brainer.
Ronaldo’s expansive audience—he has 168 million followers on Facebook, 620 million on Instagram, and another 110.5 million on X, formerly Twitter—has made him a key target for other brands. According to the Daily Mail, Ronaldo has had partnerships with Tag Heuer, KFC, Armani, Herbalife, and Emirates airline.
Ronaldo hasn’t been afraid to dip into his net worth and spend a lot of his earnings, either. According to The US Sun, the father of five has a car collection worth $21 million, including a rare Bugatti Centodieci that cost him $10.5 million. The duPont Registry lists a Ferrari F12 TDF, Lamborghini Aventador, and a Porsche 911 among his other vehicles.
Ronaldo also owns a $602 million Madrid villa among his collection of properties and collects watches. According to the Daily Mail, one of his favorite timepieces is a Jacob and Co. Grand Baguette with an estimated price tag of $1 million.
Who Are the Other Highest-Paid Athletes?
NBA superstar LeBron James is fourth in estimated earnings on the Sportico list with $125.7 million, just a sliver above Mbappé.
Behind No. 6 Neymar, these athletes round out the top 10 sports earners of 2023:
- NBA player Stephen Curry, $198.9 million;
- NBA player Giannis Antetokounmpo, $88.4 million;
- NBA player Kevin Durant, $86.9 million;
- and Super Bowl-winning quarterback Patrick Mahomes, $84.3 million.
Tyler Piccotti first joined the Biography.com staff as an Associate News Editor in February 2023, and before that worked almost eight years as a newspaper reporter and copy editor. He is a graduate of Syracuse University. When he's not writing and researching his next story, you can find him at the nearest amusement park, catching the latest movie, or cheering on his favorite sports teams.
