Cristiano Ronaldo has his name topping the list of Highest-Paid Athletes in Forbes 2024. CR has concreted his status as a global sports hero and financial force by topping this list of the highest-paid sportsmen in the world. The Portuguese football player, now a player for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, has increased his overall earnings to unprecedented levels by combining a large income with an amazing portfolio of endorsement deals.
It is not wrong to say Cristiano Ronaldo is the name known by most in the world and he is one of the highly followed, admired, and now highest-paid athletes.
His financial success has been greatly impacted by the shift in the Saudi Arabian platform Al Nassr, which reflects the growing interest in football among Middle Eastern nations.
Ronaldo has effectively diversified his brand into several accomplishments besides his skill on the pitch and attractiveness to businesses. His CR7 lifestyle brand, which sells everything from gyms and hotels to lingerie and fragrances, has grown to be a sizable source of income.
With millions of followers across social media sites like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, Ronaldo has an enormous following, which increases his marketability and enables him to demand high prices for collaborations and sponsored posts.
The sports industry is one of the most lucrative industries in the world, which gives massive renewal and recognition to the front leading affiliates.
The top ranking of Ronaldo highest-paid athlete proves the endless financial prospects open to great athletes in sports based on their level of success. Ronaldo is a standard who has maximized his earning potential, both now and in the future since he continues to perform well both on and off the field.
Forbes List Of Highest-Paid Athletes
- Cristiano Ronaldo
- $46 million on-field and $90 million off-field
- Portuguese nationality
- Sport: Soccer
- Lionel Messi
- $65 million on the field, $65 million off the field
- Nationality: Argentina
- Sport: Soccer
- Kylian Mbappé
- $100 million on the field; $20 million off the field
- French nationality
- Sport: Soccer
- LeBron James
- $44.5 million on the field; $75 million off the field
- American nationality
- Sport: Basketball
- Canelo Álvarez
- $100 million on the field; $10 million off the field
- Mexican nationality
- Sport: Boxing
- Dustin Johnson
- $102 million on the field, $5 million off the field
- American nationality
- Sport: golf
- Phil Mickelson
- $104 million on the field; $2 million off the field
- American nationality
- Sport: golf
- Stephen Curry
- $48.4 million on the field, $52 million off the field
- American nationality
- Sport: Basketball
- Roger Federer
- $95 million Off-Field; $0.1 million On-Field
- Swiss nationality
- Sport: Tennis
- Kevin Durant
- $44.1 million on the field; $45 million off the field
- American nationality
- Sport: Basketball
The highest-paid athlete on the Forbes list Ronaldo moved to Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia in January after leaving Manchester United in November.
Cristiano Ronaldo earned $260 million last year, as per the Forbes list. In addition to $60 million from other sources, he received $200 million from his deal with the Saudi Arabian club.
He now makes almost $75 million a year playing. By doing this, he increased his prospects of securing marketing agreements in Saudi Arabia. Despite his temporary absence from a team, Forbes included his earnings from both of his contracts this season.
For the first time since 2017 and for the third time overall, he is now the highest-paid athlete due to the better salary, despite reports that he may return to Europe this summer. With $136 million in total earnings this year, he is the most-paid soccer player of all time.
All ten of the highest-paid athletes have made over $100 million in earnings for the first time. According to Forbes, they have earned a record-breaking $1.38 billion in total.
If we talk about Cristiano Ronaldo, he also enjoys a massive fan following and recognition across several social media platforms.
With more than 850 million followers across Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter more than any other athlete, Ronaldo is highly favored by advertisers. His latest sponsor is the cryptocurrency exchange Binance. Over the past year, he has made roughly $90 million off the field.
The Highest-paid athletes have their income from their respective sports and the advertisements they do. The Forbes list is topped by Cristiano Ronaldo with several other athletes across different sports sectors.