Soccer legend Cristiano Ronaldo becomes the sport's first billionaire

Portuguese soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has become the sport's first ever billionaire player following a contract he signed with Al Nassr earlier this year, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Although the former Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Juventus star – now in the latter stages of his playing career – has always been one of the top earners in soccer, it's his current stint at Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr that has catapulted him onto the exclusive list of billionaire athletes.

After moving to the Saudi Pro League in January 2023, he became the highest-paid player in the sport's history with an annual salary of around US$200 million ($303.5 million), according to Saudi state media.

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And in June 2025, the 40-year-old signed a new two-year deal with the Saudi outfit, reportedly worth more than US$400 million ($607.1 million) in tax free earnings.

That contract has boosted Ronaldo's net worth up to US$1.4 billion ($2.12 billion), according to Bloomberg.

The Portuguese superstar's earnings aren't the only stream of income that have skyrocketed his net worth.

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The five-time Ballon d'Or winner signed a decade-long Nike deal worth almost US$18 million ($27.3 million) a year, as well as sponsorships with brands such as Armani and Castrol – adding over US$175 million ($265.6 million) to his net worth, according to Bloomberg.

Ronaldo has also amassed a global real estate portfolio and invested in a number of businesses in multiple countries, including Portugal and Spain.

The five-time Champions League winner now joins the likes of basketball legend Michael Jordan and retired tennis superstar Roger Federer on the sought-after list of billionaire athletes.

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The latter mainly earned the status from a stake in Swiss sportswear brand On as part of a sponsorship deal.

Jordan, however, made much of his fortune from longtime endorsement deals with Nike as well as having owned a majority stake in the NBA's Charlotte Hornets up until 2023.

As the soccer superstar approaches retirement, club ownership is something that he has teased in the past.

"If I can be a club owner, why would I be a manager, sporting director or CEO?" Ronaldo said in an interview with Portuguese television channel Canal 11 earlier this year.

"This is my dream and I'm sure I'll get there. I'll even say more: I hope to not only have one club but to own several clubs."

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