Cristiano Ronaldo has become the first soccer player to reach billionaire status, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, which tracks the world’s wealthiest individuals by net worth. The valuation—based on career earnings, investments, and endorsements—estimates Ronaldo’s wealth at $1.4 billion.
While the former Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Juventus star is in the final stages of his career, his current stint with Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr has propelled him to billionaire status.
After moving to the Saudi Pro League in January 2023, he became the highest-paid player in the sport’s history with an annual salary of around $200 million, according to Saudi state media.
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Ronaldo signed a new two-year deal with the Saudi club, reportedly worth more than $400 million in tax free earnings in June. This contract boosted his net worth to $1.4 billion. However, this isn’t the Portuguese athlete’s only stream of income, as he also signed a decade-long Nike deal worth almost $18 million a year, as well as sponsorships with brands such as Armani and Castrol — adding over $175 million to his net worth, according to Bloomberg.
Ronaldo also has a real estate portfolio, and invested in a number of businesses in multiple countries, including Portugal and Spain.
With this, Ronaldo has entered the list of billionaire athletes, which includes basketball star Michael Jordan, and retired tennis star Roger Federer. While Federer gained the status mainly through a stake in Swiss sportswear brand “On” as part of a sponsorship deal, Jordan made much of his fortune from longtime endorsement deals with Nike as well as having owned a majority stake in the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets up until 2023.
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Ronaldo mentioned an interest in club ownership following his retirement. “If I can be a club owner, why would I be a manager, sporting director or CEO?” Ronaldo said in an interview with Portuguese television channel Canal 11 earlier this year. “This is my dream and I’m sure I’ll get there. I’ll even say more: I hope to not only have one club but to own several clubs.”
The Bloomberg report also stated Argentina and Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi, who played against Ronaldo for many years, has earned more than $60 million in pre-tax salary during his career. That includes $20 million in guaranteed annual pay since 2023, which is about 10% of Ronaldo’s income during the same period. When he retires, Messi is set to get a stake in Inter Miami.