The Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo, front of the Al-Nassr Saudi, was the highest paid footballer in 2024 with estimated income of a total of 285 million dollars (263 million euros), ahead of the Argentine Lionel Messi, of the InterMiami, who pocketed 135 million dollars (almost 125 million euros), according to the report published this Thursday by Forbes.
Cristiano Ronaldo, 39 years old, earned 220 million dollars in salary (223 million euros) and nearly 65 million (60 million euros) more for his non-football activities, including the recent opening of his YouTube channel, which exceeded one million followers in the first ninety minutes.
Messi, 37 years old, occupies second place in this table with 135 million dollars in income (about 125 million euros). He has a salary of 60 million dollars (55.3 million euros) at Inter Miami and generated 75 (almost 70 million euros) more off the field of play. The Argentine, who has a contract with Inter Miami until 2025, has collaborations with Apple TV, Adidas and Konami, among others.
The Brazilian Neymar Junior (32 years old), of the Saudi Al-Hilal, completes the podium with income of 110 million dollars (101.5 million euros). Despite having been out for almost the entirety of last season due to a cruciate injury, the midfielder has a contract of 80 million dollars a year (almost 74 million euros), to which 30 more income is added from his investments and sponsorships. .
The French Karim Benzema (36 years old), of the Saudi Al-Ittihad, is fourth (104 million dollars/96 million euros), while the first player from a European league to enter this table is the also Frenchman Kylian Mbappé, Real Madrid forward.
According to Forbes, Mbappé (25 years old), who finished the 2023-24 campaign at Paris Saint-Germain, earned a total of 90 million dollars in 2024 (83 million euros), 70 in salary (64.6 million euros) and 20 (18.4 million euros) for activities outside the field of play.
His teammate at Real Madrid, the Brazilian Vinicius Junior (24 years old) He is seventh with a total of 55 million dollars in income (almost 51 million euros), 40 in salary (37 million euros) and 15 (close to 14 million euros) off the field.
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The Norwegian Erling Haaland (24 years old), Manchester City striker is sixth ($60 million/€55 million); the egyptian Mohamed Salah (32 years old)from Liverpool, occupies eighth place ($53 million/€49 million), the Senegalese Sadio Mané (32 years old)from Al-Nassr, is ninth (48 million dollars/44.3 million euros) and the Belgian Kevin De Bruyne (33 years old)from Manchester City, closes the ‘top-10’ with 39 million dollars (36 million euros).
