Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi may have switched clubs this summer, but they remain perennial competitors, battling for records, titles, fans, and riches. The competition for the latter category is reaching incredible heights.
Forbes published the most recent edition of their list of the world's highest-paid soccer players, combining the gross values of each player's base income, bonuses, endorsement deals, and other commercial partnerships to arrive at the final figure. It was the two at the top once more.
Christina Settimi, a Forbes reporter, came up with the list in a unique way. The journal sought input from teams, agents, sponsors, and soccer experts.
Who earns more money, Ronaldo or Messi?
According to Forbes, Messi earns a larger gross base pay ($75 million) at PSG than Cristiano Ronaldo earns at Manchester United ($70 million). However, Ronaldo outperforms him in terms of other sources of revenue, propelling him to the top of the list.
On top of what he already earns through his personal CR-7 portfolio, Ronaldo has relationships with Nike, Herbalife, and Clear, according to the story. That total of $55 million ranks fourth among all active players, surpassing Messi's $35 million in sponsorships from firms like adidas, Pepsi, and Budweiser, according to Forbes.
Weep not for Messi: During his 21 years at FC Barcelona in Spain, he amassed a fortune of over $1 billion, including $875 million in pay alone. According to Forbes, Ronaldo was the first athlete in team sports to reach the $1 billion mark.
On the other hand, Ronaldo has more than half a billion social media followers, making him the most popular athlete on the planet. Here's where all that fame pays off: According to the report, Ronaldo sold more shirts through sports apparel website Fanatics after his move to Manchester United than any other superstar in recent years, including Tom Brady (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), LeBron James (LA Lakers in 2018), and Lionel Messi (Barcelona) (to PSG in 2021).
The top half of the Forbes Top 10 list is what stands out. Three of the first four names belong to PSG players: Messi is followed in the rankings by Neymar (No. 3) and Kylian Mbappe (No. 4). PSG is well-known for having deep pockets: The Emir of Qatar owns it through the Qatar Sports Investments company. PSG's president, on the other hand, insists that the French club complies with European soccer's financial fair play standards.
However, given Neymar's $95 million in total salary, the decline is significant. Mbappe earns less than half of that ($43 million total). But the EA Sports FIFA 22 cover guy is still only 22, and Forbes claims he's already earning more than Ronaldo and Messi did at their ages.
