Cristiano Ronaldo sets new global record for earnings, becomes world's richest player after making $260 million in 2025

Riyadh: World-renowned football star Cristiano Ronaldo has once again left all his rivals behind in the financial field. According to the latest report released by Sportico for the year 2025, the Portuguese superstar has secured the top position in the list of the world's highest-paid athletes. Ronaldo earned a total of $260 million (approximately £194 million) during 2025. A significant portion of his income came from his annual $200 million contract with Saudi club Al-Nassr. Outside the field, he earned an additional $60 million through advertisements and business partnerships with various brands.

This is the third consecutive year that Ronaldo's annual income has exceeded $200 million, and he has been earning at least $100 million every year for the past nine years. Ronaldo's long-time rival Lionel Messi ranked third on the list, with a total income of $130 million in 2025, which is half of Ronaldo's earnings. The Argentine star recently signed a new contract with his team Inter Miami until 2028, while his team also won the recent MLS Cup.

The 40-year-old Ronaldo has extended his contract with Al-Nassr until the summer of 2027, and he has also made a major announcement regarding his international career. Ronaldo stated, "The 2026 Football World Cup will be my last mega event, and I will retire from football within the next one to two years." The Portuguese captain has so far scored over 950 goals at the club and international level and is determined to reach the milestone of 1,000 goals.