Cristiano Ronaldo becomes first billionaire footballer: What is his net worth, how does it compare to Lionel Messi?

To cap off an incredible career, Cristiano Ronaldo became the first football player in history to reach the billion-dollar mark.

According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, the 40-year-old Portugal legend is worth $1.4 billion. His rise in wealth follows his June contract renewal with Al-Nassr, a Saudi Pro League team, which is reputedly worth over $400 million. Between 2002 and 2023, Ronaldo made over half a billion dollars ($550 million) in salaries alone. The remainder of his riches, however, came from other sources, such as a ten-year contract worth $18 million with Nike and $175 million from endorsements with well-known international brands like Armani and Castrol, among others.

Ronaldo, the all-time Champions League top scorer, joined Al-Nassr from Manchester United with an annual salary of $237.5 million, plus bonuses, but his net worth skyrocketed after 2023. Additionally, it was believed that Ronaldo was given a 15% share in the Saudi team. CR7 is now a billionaire, joining the select few athletes who have achieved this status, including tennis great Roger Federer, golfer Tiger Woods, and basketball greats Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and LeBron James.

In contrast, Argentine wizard and World Cup champion Lionel Messi, Ronaldo’s fiercest professional adversary, is thought to be worth approximately $850 million.

In a recent interview at the Portugal Football Globes gala on Tuesday, Ronaldo asserted that he would not be hanging up his boots any time soon. “I still have a passion for this,” the 40-year-old said, adding, “My family says it’s time to quit and they ask me why I want to score 1000 goals if I’ve already scored 900-something. But I don’t think that way inside.”

He went on to emphasize that his form, despite his age, remained intact: “”I’m still producing good things, I’m helping my club and the national team. Why not continue? I am sure that when I finish I will leave full because I gave everything of myself.”