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In this article, we will review the top ten richest footballers in the world in 2024.
Football as we know it is one of the most lucrative sports in the world.
The beautiful game which is played in more than 200 countries worldwide is one of the most watched sports on the planet and has seen a host of football players across the globe achieve fame and fortune with a select number of superstars racking home millions of dollars yearly.
In this article, Pulse Sports reviews the Top 10 Richest footballers on the planet in 2024 by their Net Worth.
Revealed: Top 10 Richest footballers in the world (2024)
10. Wayne Rooney (Net Worth) - $170 million
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Full Name: Wayne Mark Rooney
Age: 39 (as of 2024)
Nationality: England
Club/Team: Unemployed
Category: Richest Footballers
Net Worth: USD $170 million
Wayne Rooney is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker for Premier League club Manchester United, Everton and the England national team.
According to the 2012 France Football survey of the world’s best-paid players, Rooney is ranked fifth in the world and No.1 in England.
Rooney has played much of his career as a forward, and he has also been used in various midfield roles.
The 39-year-old Englishman was the record goalscorer for the England national team from 2015 to 2023.
He is also the all-time highest goal scorer in the history of Manchester United.
Rooney most recently managed Birmingham City having coached MLS club D.C United, and Championship club Derby County.
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Rooney has endorsement deals with Nike, Nokia, Ford, Asda, and Coca-Cola.
He appeared on seven consecutive UK-version covers of Electronic Arts' FIFA video game series from FIFA 06 to FIFA 12.
As of 2024, Wayne Rooney’s net worth is approximately $170 Million, making him one of the richest soccer players in the world.
READ MORE: Premier League clubs dominate top 10 richest football clubs in the world ranking for 2024
9. Kylian Mbappé (Net Worth) - $180 million
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Full Name: Kylian Mbappé Lottin
Age: 25 years old (as of 2024)
Nationality: France
Club/Team: Paris Saint-Germain
Category: Richest Footballers | Highest-Paid Footballers | Highest-Paid Athletes | Most-Followed Footballers | Most-Followed Athletes
Net Worth: USD $180 million
Kylian Mbappé is widely regarded as one of the most exciting football talents of his generation and one of the richest footballers in the world.
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Mbappé’s meteoric rise to fame began when he joined AS Monaco's youth academy in 2013.
His remarkable speed, skill, and goal-scoring prowess quickly caught the attention of football enthusiasts worldwide.
Mbappé's breakthrough season came in 2016-2017, where he played a pivotal role in Monaco's Ligue 1 triumph and their impressive run to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League.
His performances earned him the prestigious Golden Boy award, recognizing him as the best young player in Europe.
In 2017, Mbappé made a high-profile transfer to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), becoming one of the most expensive footballers in history.
His time at PSG has been marked by numerous domestic successes, including multiple Ligue 1 titles and domestic cup victories.
With PSG, he has won five Ligue 1 titles and three Coupes de France, including a domestic quadruple in the 2019–20 season, while also leading the club to its first ever UEFA Champions League final in 2020.
He is the club's all-time top goalscorer and ranks third all time in assists.
He is also the ninth-highest goalscorer in Ligue 1 history.
Mbappé finished in third place for the 2023 Ballon d'Or and was runner-up for the 2022 The Best FIFA Men's Player award.
He was named to the FIFA FIFPro World11 in 2018, 2019 and 2022, the UEFA Team of the Year in 2018 and the UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season in 2016–17, 2019–20, 2020–21 and 2021–22.
He was awarded the Golden Boy in 2017, the Kopa Trophy in 2018, and was shortlisted for the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year in 2019 and 2023.
Mbappé has been named Ligue 1 Player of the Year a record four times, and has finished as the Ligue 1 top scorer for a joint-record five seasons; in the 2021–22 season, he became the first player to finish as both Ligue 1 top scorer and top assist provider.
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In 2023, he was ranked third on the Forbes list of the world's highest-paid athletes.
Internationally, Mbappé has been a key figure for the French national team, helping them secure victory in the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
His electrifying pace and clinical finishing make him a constant threat to opposition defenses.
Off the field, Mbappé's marketability is immense.
Mbappé has featured in EA Sports' FIFA video game series: on FIFA 18, he had the highest potential rating of 94.
His trademark goal celebration – posing with his arms folded and hands tucked under his armpits – was inspired by his younger brother Ethan, who would celebrate in this manner when beating Kylian at FIFA.
The celebration was first added in FIFA 19.
Mbappé featured as the cover star of FIFA 21, making him the youngest to appear on the cover solo also featured on the FIFA 22 and FIFA 23.
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Mbappe exudes charisma and has a massive following on social media platforms.
He is the fourth most followed footballer on Instagram with over 112 million followers.
Off the field, Mbappé boasts endorsement deals with brands like Nike, Hublot, Oakley, others, contribute significantly to his wealth.
Mbappé's on-field success, coupled with his marketability and endorsement deals, has made him one of the richest footballers in the world.
As of 2024, he is the 9th richest footballer in the world with an estimated net worth of $180 million.
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14:51 - 23.08.2024
Ronaldo stretches lead over Messi in Top 10 Most-Followed Footballers in the World (2024)
Check out the incredible list of the Top 10 most-followed footballers in the world with no African making the cut.
8. Zlatan Ibrahimović (Net Worth) - $190 million
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Full Name: Zlatan Ibrahimović
Age: 43 years old (as of 2024)
Nationality: Sweden
Club/Team: Retired
Category: Richest Footballers | Most-Followed Footballers
Net Worth: USD $190 million
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Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a Swedish footballer of Bosnian and Croatian descent.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest strikers of his generation, the 43-year-old Swede is one of the most controversial footballers in the world having last played for Serie A club AC Milan.
Ibrahimović is renowned for his acrobatic strikes and volleys, powerful long-range shots, and excellent technique and ball control.
He has scored over 570 career goals, including more than 500 club goals, and has scored in each of the last four decades, while making appearances for Malmo, Ajax, AC Milan, Inter, Juventus, Barcelona, Paris Saint Germain, Manchester United, and LA Galaxy.
In November 2019, it was announced that Ibrahimović had bought 23.5 percent of the shares in Hammarby IF, a Swedish top flight club from Stockholm.
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During his four-season stay in France, he won four consecutive Ligue 1 titles, was the top scorer in Ligue 1 for three seasons and became PSG's all-time leading goalscorer at the time.
In 2016, he joined Manchester United on a free transfer and won his first European honour in his debut season. Ibrahimović joined American club LA Galaxy in 2018 and rejoined Milan in 2020, winning his fifth Serie A title in 2022.
Ibrahimović is one of eleven players to have made 100 or more appearances for the Swedish national team, over a 20-year international career.
He is the country's all-time leading goalscorer with 62 goals.
Ibra has been awarded Guldbollen (the Golden Ball), given to the Swedish player of the year, a record 12 times, including 10 consecutive times from 2007 to 2016.
Ibrahimović's 35-yard bicycle kick goal for Sweden against England won the 2013 FIFA Puskás Award, and is often considered one of the best goals of all time.
Ibrahimović was named in the FIFA FIFPro World XI in 2013 and the UEFA Team of the Year in 2007, 2009, 2013 and 2014.
He finished at a peak of fourth for the FIFA Ballon d'Or in 2013.
In 2015, UEFA included him as one of the best players that have not won the UEFA Champions League,
Ibrahimović is under contract with Nike and features in their television advertising where he has appeared in numerous ads alongside other players endorsed by the company.
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He’s also very on social media, Zlatan has over 64 million Instagram followers, the most for a Swede.
As of 2024, Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s net worth is approximately $190 Million, making him the 7th richest footballer in the world.
READ MORE: Taiwo Awoniyi Profile, Age, Salary, Net Worth, Girlfriend/Spouse, House, Cars, How rich is he in 2023?
7. Karim Benzema (Net Worth) - $200 million
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Full Name: Karim Mostafa Benzema
Age: 36 years old (as of 2024)
Nationality: France
Club/Team: Al Ittihad
Category: Richest Footballers | Richest Athletes | Highest-Paid Athletes | Highest-Paid Footballers | Most-Followed Footballers
Net Worth: USD $200 million
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Karim Benzema is a French professional footballer who plays as a striker for and captains Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad.
Popularly nicknamed “Big Benz’, he is widely regarded as one of the best strikers of all time.
Benzema is a creative forward known for his technical skills, vision and versatility on the field.
As of 2024, Benzema is Real Madrid's all-time second-highest goalscorer and top assist provider.
He won 24 trophies with Real Madrid, including four La Liga, three Copa del Rey, and five UEFA Champions League titles.
Born in Lyon to parents of Algerian descent, Benzema began his career with hometown club Lyon in 2005, contributing to three Ligue 1 title wins.
In 2008, he was named the league's Player of the Year and included in the Team of the Year having finished as the league's top goalscorer, winning his fourth league title and first Coupe de France.
In 2009, Benzema was the subject of a then-French record football transfer when he joined Real Madrid in a deal worth €35 million.
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Having struggled to establish himself in his debut season, he eventually achieved a consistent goalscoring rate with the club, notably being part of a highly rated trio alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale — dubbed "BBC" — who were integral to four Champions League wins between 2014 and 2018, under Zinedine Zidane and Carlo Ancelotti.
Following Ronaldo's departure in 2018, Benzema transitioned from the false 9 position into a sole striker.
He was named in the La Liga Team of the Season for five consecutive years from 2018 to 2023, won La Liga Best Player twice and the Pichichi Trophy for the first time in 2022, following Lionel Messi's exit from Barcelona.
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Benzema finished as Champions League top scorer as he won his fifth title in 2022, and subsequently captained the club in his final season before signing for Al-Ittihad the following year.
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With France, Benzema won the 2004 UEFA European Under-17 Championship and made his senior debut for Les Blues in 2007, at age 19.
He earned 97 caps, including scoring in three and appearing in four major tournaments, and ranks as France's sixth-highest all-time top goalscorer.
Benzema was controversially left out of the squad for the 2010 World Cup and did not play for France for over five years after being implicated in a blackmailing scandal in 2015; he later returned to the squad before announcing his international retirement in December 2022.
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Big Benz has been named French Player of the Year by France Football four times.
For his performances in 2021 and 2022, Benzema was awarded the UEFA Player of the Year and the Ballon d'Or, becoming the fifth French player to have won the Ballon d'Or.
How does Benzema have so much money?
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Benzema makes most of his income from the pitch, having signed lucrative deals over the last couple of years, notably with Real Madrid.
However, his transfer to the Middle East in the summer of 2023 saw his earnings sporadically increase in what placed him at the echelons of the highest-paid footballers of all time.
In June 2023, Karim Benzema signed a 2-year, $436 million contract with the Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad.
It is one of the largest contracts in sports history and equates to an average annual salary of $210million, before taxes.
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Since evolving internationally, Benzema has participated in numerous advertising campaigns.
He was chosen as an ambassador of the American video game publisher Electronic Arts for the now-defunct FIFA series.
He has signed several sponsorship contracts, notably with the Korean automobile manufacturer Hyundai, the French telephone operator SFR and its subsidiary BuzzMobile, the French bank LCL and the sports betting company bwin.
Benzema is sponsored by Adidas.
In 2017, his documentary film Le K Benzema was released.
In 2020, Benzema started his own YouTube channel, uploading videos of his everyday life and sharing with fans.
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In 2022, Benzema was named official ambassador of the Fendi Faster sneaker line.
'Big Benz' has also appeared in several campaigns for acclaimed international monthly men's magazine GQ, and is also considered amongst the most fashionable footballers in the world.
The French striker also racks in over a million dollars from sponsored ads on Instagram as he is one of the most followed footballers in the world.
As of 2024, Benzema is estimated to have a net worth of $200 million, making him one of the richest footballers in the world.
6. Dave Whelan (Net Worth) - $210 million
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Full Name: Dave Whelan
Age: 87 years old (as of 2024)
Nationality: England
Club/Team: None, Wigan FC (former owner)
Category: Richest Footballers
Net Worth: USD $210 million
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Dave Whelan began his career in the English football league and then retired to open a series of supermarkets.
The former left back has since become a successful businessman following his retirement in 1966, having played for Blackburn Rovers (from 1956 to 1960) and Crewe Alexandra (from 1962 to 1966).
Whelan is the former owner of club Wigan Athletic, having also been the chairman of the club for twenty years, before passing the position over to his grandson, David Sharpe, who eventually passed the ownership over to International Entertainment Corporation.
The 87-year-old Englishman owns a fishing sports store JJB Sports having purchased it in 1977.
Focusing on mainly sporting goods, JJB Sports became a chain of 7 stores by 1980. It is currently ranked as the UK’s second biggest sports retailer.
As of 2024, Dave Whelan’s net worth is estimated to be $210 Million, making him one of the wealthiest football players of all time.
5. Neymar (Net Worth) - $250 million
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Full Name: Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior
Age: 32 years old (as of 2024)
Nationality: Brazil
Club/Team: Al Hilal
Category: Richest Footballers | Highest-Paid Footballers | Most-Followed Footballers | Highest-Paid Athletes | Most-Followed Athletes
Net Worth: USD $250 million
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Neymar is a Brazilian professional soccer player, and currently one of the most popular and influential soccer players in the world and widely regarded as the one of most naturally gifted players in the world.
Neymar has often been considered the third-best player in the Ronaldo-Messi era and one of the richest footballers in the world.
The 32-year-old talented playmaker currently plays for Al Hilal, having played for Paris Saint Germain, Santos FC and FC Barcelona with whom he won the treble in 2015.
Neymar finished third for the FIFA Ballon d'Or in 2015 and 2017, has been awarded the FIFA Puskás Award, has been named in the FIFA FIFPro World11 twice, the UEFA Team of the Year twice, and the UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season three times.
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Off the pitch, he ranks among the world's most prominent sportsmen with a following of over 220 million on Instagram, making him the third most followed footballer on the planet.
Neymar has signed many sponsorship deals since his reputation began to grow from the age of 17.
In March 2011, he signed an 11-year contract with American sportswear company Nike, which ended in August 2020 after a Nike employee made a sexual assault complaint against him.
Neymar has since signed with German sportswear company Puma.
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In March 2011, Panasonic paid US$2.4 million to secure Neymar's services for two years.
Prior to signing for Barcelona, has also signed other sponsorships from Volkswagen, Tenys Pé Baruel, Lupo, Ambev, Claro, Unilever and Santander.
Neymar was featured on the front covers of the video games Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 and Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 on the North American version.
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Neymar also features in EA Sports' FIFA video game series, with the trailer for FIFA 18 showing him in his PSG home jersey, appearing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo on the Champions and Ultimate Edition packs for FIFA 19.
He has also appeared in movies like ‘XXX: Return of Xander Cage’ as himself and the popular Netflix crime series ‘Money Heist’ as Monje Joao.
As of 2024, Neymar Jr.’s net worth is approximately $250 Million, making him the 5th richest footballer in the world.
4. David Beckham (Net Worth) - $550 million
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Full Name: David Robert Joseph Beckham
Age: 48 years old (as of 2024)
Nationality: England
Club/Team: Inter Miami CF (President and Co-owner)
Category: Richest Footballers | Most-Followed Footballers | Most-Followed Athletes
Net Worth: USD $550 million
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David Robert Joseph Beckham is an English retired professional footballer from London.
He is the first English player to win league titles in four countries: England, Spain, the United States and France.
He has played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, Milan, LA Galaxy, Paris Saint-Germain, and the England national team, for which he held the appearance record for an outfield player until 2016.
Beckham is widely considered to be one of the most successful English players of all time.
He retired from professional football at the end of 2013.
The following year Beckham bought an MLS expansion team - Inter Miami for $25 million and also famously signed Lionel Messi in the summer of 2023.
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Beckham's many endorsement deals make him one of the most influential athletes in the world.
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Having worn Adidas football boots from the start of his career, in 2003 he signed a $160 million lifetime contract with Adidas, earning nearly half the money upfront, and will continue to earn percentages of profits on all of his branded Adidas products.
He had a 10-year collaboration with PepsiCo that expired in 2009. In 2021, he became a global ambassador for Italian luxury car brand Maserati.
The 48-year-old Englishman featured in EA Sports' FIFA video game series; he was on the cover for the UK edition of FIFA 98.
In November 2020, EA Sports had an agreement with Beckham to feature him in FIFA 21, in which he would earn £40m from a three-year deal.
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During his playing career (which ended in May 2013), Beckham generated an estimated £1 billion in shirt and boot sales. And in 2006, Lloyd's of London insured his legs for £100m, at the time he was playing for Real Madrid.
In June 2020, Beckham became a minority owner of the London-based esports organization Guild Esports.
Beckham also has over 86 million Instagram followers, the most for a person from the UK and the fifth most followed football personality on the planet.
David Beckham turned the fortunes around of Inter Miami after moving to the Major League Soccer in one of the best business deals in sporting history.
Beckham bought Inter Miami for $25 million as a minority co-owner and raised the club's value to over $1 billion thanks to his popularity, business acumen and the acquisition of Argentine legend Lionel Messi.
As of March 2024, David Beckham’s net worth is estimated at $550 million, making him one of the richest footballers in the world and the richest English footballer of all time.
3. Cristiano Ronaldo (Net Worth) - $600 million
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Full Name: Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro
Age: 39 years old (as of 2024)
Nationality: Portugal
Club/Team: Al Nassr
Category: Richest Footballers | Highest-Paid Footballers | Most-Followed Footballers | Highest-Paid Athletes | Most-Followed Athletes
Net Worth: USD $600 million
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Cristiano Ronaldo is a Portuguese footballer, widely considered as the best footballer of all time.
The 39-year-old Portugal captain currently plays for Saudi Arabia league giants Al Nassr having sealed a mega-money move to the Middle East in December 2022.
Ronaldo has won five Ballon d'Or awards and four European Golden Shoes, the most by a European player.
He has won 32 trophies in his career, including seven league titles, five UEFA Champions Leagues, the UEFA European Championship and the UEFA Nations League.
Ronaldo holds the records for most appearances (183), goals (140), and assists (42) in the Champions League, goals in the European Championship (14), international goals (118), and joint-most international appearances (196).
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He is also one of the few players to have made over 1,200 professional career appearances, the most by any player, and has scored over 850 official senior career goals for club and country.
The former Real Madrid striker is also the Los Blancos’ all-time top scorer.
In addition to playing professional football, Ronaldo’s net worth has been significantly boosted throughout his career due to a string of endorsement deals and other sponsorships with clothing brands.
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He’s put his name to everything from sports clothing and soft drinks, to financial services and video games.
These endorsements have earned Ronaldo large sums of money on an annual basis, earning $110 million in a one-year period from June 2018 to June 2019 alone.
Ronaldo has signed many sponsorship deals for consumer products, including sportswear, football boots; since November 2012, Ronaldo has worn the Nike Mercurial Vapor personalized CR7 edition.
Ronaldo was featured as the cover star of EA Sports' FIFA video game FIFA 18 and was heavily involved in the game's promotion.
His iconic "Sii" goal celebration features in the FIFA series, accompanied with his own voiceover. He was also the face of Pro Evolution Soccer, appearing on the covers of the 2008, 2012 and 2013 editions of the game.
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Ronaldo has established a strong online presence.
He is undisputedly the most popular sportsperson on social media, racking over 700 million total followers across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram by February 2021, making him the first person to pass half a billion followers.
He is the most-followed person on Facebook (169 million), the most-followed on Instagram (624 million) and the most-followed sportsperson on Twitter (110,7million), and his sponsors reportedly earned $936 million in media value across his accounts between June 2016 to June 2017.
Ronaldo has also released two mobile apps, launching an iPhone game called Heads Up with Cristiano in 2011, created by developer RockLive, while also launching Viva Ronaldo (a dedicated social networking website and app) in December 2013.
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Ronaldo opened a fashion boutique under the name CR7 (his initials and shirt number) on the island of Madeira in 2006 and opened a second in Lisbon in 2008
In partnership with Scandinavian manufacturer JBS Textile Group and the New York fashion designer Richard Chai, Ronaldo co-designed a range of underwear and sock line, released in November 2013.
He then expanded his CR7 fashion brand by launching a line of premium shirts and shoes in July 2014.
In September 2015, Ronaldo released his own fragrance, "Legacy", in a partnership with Eden Parfums.
Demand for a replica Ronaldo shirt has been high throughout his career.
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In 2008, Ronaldo's number 7 Manchester United shirt was the best-selling Premier League sports product.
In 2015, Ronaldo's number 7 Real Madrid shirt was the second best-selling worldwide, after Messi's number 10 Barcelona shirt.
And in 2018, within 24 hours of his number 7 Juventus shirt being released, over 520,000 had been sold, with $62.4 million generated in one day.
How did Cristiano Ronaldo make so much money?
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With earnings of €720 million (£615 million) from 2010 to 2019, Ronaldo was ranked second in Forbes list of the decade's highest-paid athletes, behind boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Forbes twice ranked Ronaldo first on its list of the world's highest-paid football players - his combined income from salaries, bonuses and endorsements was $73 million in 2013–14 and $79 million in 2014–15.
His earnings in the 2014/15 season saw him listed behind only Mayweather on the magazine's list of The World's Highest-Paid Athletes.
In 2016, CR7 became the first footballer to top the Forbes list of highest-earning athletes, with a total income of $88 million from his salary and endorsements in 2015–16.
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Ronaldo went on to top the list for the second straight year with earnings of $93 million in 2016–17.
Cristiano Ronaldo is the first footballer to earn $1 billion in their career.
In December 2022, it was reportedly confirmed that Cristiano had signed a $535 million, 2.5-year deal with Saudi Pro League giants Al Nassr.
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That deal would become the largest contract in sports history in terms of earnings per season – which breaks out to roughly USD $210 million, after taxes.
Although, multiple reports suggest Ronaldo’s annual on-field salary is around $75 million per year.
However, Ronaldo’s salary will be broken down below via financial figures including on-field earnings and club-related marketing deals.
Years: 2.5
Total value: $535,195,000
Salary per year: $214,078,000
Wages per week: $4,116,885
Free agency: 2025
How does Cristiano Ronaldo spend his money?
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Ronaldo is also a keen collector of some of the most expensive luxury automobiles in the world, with a Lamborghini Aventador and Rolls-Royce in his collection.
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22:29 - 24.09.2023
Check out Cristiano Ronaldo’s amazing car collection reportedly worth over a staggering N20 BILLION
Cristiano Ronaldo was named the highest-paid athlete in the world for a reason and his car collection totally reeks of some of the most expensive automobiles in the world.
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19:26 - 19.01.2024
Cristiano Ronaldo shows off his new N560 MILLION Ferrari Purosangue while rocking Gucci outfit
Cristiano Ronaldo has added yet another supercar to his multi-million dollar automobile collection.
He owns a variety of real estate, from an apartment in Trump Tower in Manhattan to a luxury villa in La Finca worth $6.2 million.
He’s a proud owner of a collection of the most expensive watches you can buy, he’s been spotted wearing a Hublot Masterpiece MP-09 Tourbillon Bi-Axis worth $1.2 million.
He’s also been recently spotted rocking a ‘Caviar Flying Tourbillon’ watch covered with 388 gemstones and worth £630,000.
In March 2024, it was reported that Cristiano Ronaldo and his partner, Georgina Rodriguez, are set to bring a touch of luxury to Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast with their new hotel venture.
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Their company, Visit Red Sea, promises “exquisite living” among “turquoise waters that overwhelm your senses.”
Georgina Rodriguez shared updates on the construction works on her Instagram, stating that they are “building the new paradise” and tagging Ronaldo, who appears in the video a couple of times.
The Visit Red Sea Instagram page advertises a range of fun activities in the western Saudi Arabian area, including windsurfing, kayaking, scuba diving, and relaxing on the beach.
This project appears to be Ronaldo’s latest business venture, taken alongside his partner as he continues to embrace a country he has called home for almost a year and a half.
As of March 2024, despite having earned over a billion dollars in his illustrious career, Cristiano Ronaldo’s net worth is estimated at $600 million, making him the 3rd richest footballer in the world.
Is Cristiano Ronaldo a Billionaire?
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No. Cristiano Ronaldo has not yet attained the Billionaire status.
Despite his monumental earnings throughout his illustrious career, which has seen him excel in top clubs across Europe and secure lucrative sponsorship deals, Ronaldo has yet to breach the billionaire mark.
Ronaldo’s financial portfolio is subject to various deductions, including taxes, agent fees, investments, and lifestyle expenditures, which could significantly impact his overall net worth(even as an estimate).
While CR7 may not have reached billionaire status, his fortune reflects his entrepreneurial spirit and strategic investments beyond the realm of football, even though he has lavished heavily on filthy-expensive automobiles and private jets, notably the Gulfstream G650 and the Gulfstream G200.
His portfolio includes ventures in fashion, hospitality, and media, showcasing his commitment to building a legacy that extends far beyond his sporting achievements.
However, he is expected to eventually reach the billionaire status in a few years depending on a number of attainable factors.
2. Lionel Messi (Net Worth) - $650 million
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Full Name: Lionel Andres “Leo” Messi
Age: 37 years old (as of 2024)
Nationality: Argentina
Club/Team: Inter Miami CF
Category: Richest Footballers/Highest-Paid Footballers/Most-Followed Footballers/Highest-Paid Athletes/Most-Followed Athletes
Net Worth: USD $650 million
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Lionel Messi is an Argentinian footballer widely regarded as the the greatest player of the modern football age.
He is known for his goal-scoring records and his immaculate ability to dribble the ball past opponents.
The 37-year-old playmaker currently represents Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise club Inter Miami where he is the captain.
He is also the captain of the Argentina national team.
Messi has won a record eight Ballon d'Or awards, a record six European Golden Shoes, and in 2020 was named to the Ballon d'Or Dream Team.
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Before his controversial exit in 2021, he had spent his entire professional career with Barcelona, where he won a club-record 35 trophies, including 10 La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey titles and four UEFA Champions Leagues.
With the Argentina national team, he won the 2021 Copa América and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Messi holds the records for most goals in La Liga (474), most hat-tricks in La Liga (36) and the UEFA Champions League (eight), and most assists in La Liga (192) and the Copa América (17).
He also has the most international goals by a South American male footballer(98).
Messi has scored over 800 senior career goals for club and country and has the most goals by a player for a single club (672).
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Messi is also a prolific playmaker and goal scorer.
Outside of football, Messi enjoys living a relatively private life.
How did Messi make so much money?
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According to France Football, Leo Messi was the world's highest-paid footballer for five years out of six between 2009 and 2014, and was ranked the world's highest-paid athlete by Forbes in 2019 and 2022.
In 2020, Messi was named to the Ballon d'Or Dream Team and became the second footballer and second team-sport athlete to surpass $1 billion in career earnings.
As of March 2024, he is among the top three highest-paid athletes and highest-paid footballers in the world, with an estimated net worth of $650 million.
How does Messi spend his money?
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A Ferrari F430 Spider, a Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale, and an Audi R8 Spyder, all worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, are amongst his collection of automobiles.
He is rumored to have bought the most expensive car ever, a 1957 Ferrari 335 Sport Spider Scaglietti, at auction for $37 million.
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17:01 - 02.05.2023
Revealed: Lionel Messi's Top 10 Most Expensive Cars in his $598 million garage
Check out some of the most expensive cars owned by Lionel Messi including one that cost him over a staggering $34 million USD.
Messi’s prime piece of real estate is an old home 16 miles outside Barcelona, in the town of Castelldefels, which has a view of the Catalan mountains.
He also owns a one-zero eco house that is designed and custom-built by Luis Garrido.
Messi has spent $2,000,000 just on renovation for his home.
The Albiceleste captain enjoys traveling by his private jet. The jet includes a kitchen, two bathrooms, and 16 seats that can be folded to beds.
The jet is valued at $15 million, and during the summer, Messi travels around with his family on a yacht which can cost $50,000 per week.
In addition to his hefty salary and bonuses, much of his income derives from endorsements.
Messi’s main sponsor since 2006 is the sportswear company Adidas.
As Barcelona's leading youth prospect, he had been signed with Nike since the age of 14, but transferred to Adidas after they successfully won the claim to his image rights in court.
Over time, Messi established himself as their leading brand endorser, and from 2008, he had a long-running signature collection of Adidas F50 boots.
In 2015, he became the first footballer to receive his own sub-brand of Adidas boots, the Adidas Messi.
At the start of his career, Messi mainly held sponsorship contracts with companies that employ sports-oriented marketing, such as Adidas, Pepsi, and Japanese video game company Konami.
But as from 2010, his marketing appeal widened, due to hisnincreased achievements as a player, leading to long-term endorsement deals with luxury brands Dolce & Gabbana and Audemars Piguet.
Messi is also a global brand ambassador for Gillette, Turkish Airlines, Ooredoo, and Tata Motors, among other companies.
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He was the face of Konami's video game series Pro Evolution Soccer, appearing on the covers of PES 2009, PES 2010, PES 2011 and PES 2020.
He subsequently signed with rival company EA Sports to become the face of their video game series FIFA and has since appeared on four consecutive covers from FIFA 13 to FIFA 16.
Messi also has an incredible fanbase on social media.
Messi's Facebook page has over 116 million followers, the second highest for a sportsperson after Cristiano Ronaldo.
He also has over 501 million Instagram followers, the second highest for an individual and sportsperson after Cristiano Ronaldo.
His iconic 2022 FIFA World Cup celebration post from 18 December 2022 is the most liked post on Instagram with over 70 million likes.
In June 2021, Messi signed a five-year deal to become an ambassador for the Hard Rock Cafe brand.
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And in May 2022, Messi was unveiled as Saudi Arabia's tourism ambassador.
Messi's current contract with Inter Miami is worth a guaranteed $20.5 per year, approximately $5 million more than the next highest-paid MLS player.
The Albiceleste skipper also has profit-sharing deals with Apple TV, whose 10-year, $2.5 billion contract makes them the primary global broadcast partner of MLS, and with Adidas.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner drastically turned around Inter Miami's business operations, with their revenue more than doubling to $118 million in 2023, from $56 million in 2022.
The significant change in the club's fortune has fueled the club’s appreciation following the arrival of Leo Messi.
Forbes estimates Inter Miami is now the second-most-valuable MLS team, worth $1.03 billion after a 72% bump from a year ago.
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The franchise is the second in MLS history to achieve a billion-dollar valuation, following in the footsteps of the league's most valuable team Los Angeles FC ($1.2 billion).
Inter Miami had also finished selling its entire 2024 season ticket inventory two weeks after the 2023 season concluded.
Messi’s move to Miami also doubled the subscriber count of MLS Season Pass, the league’s subscription streaming service with Apple, which is expected to bring in at least $2.5 billion over 10 years.
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Once the subscription service reaches a certain threshold, Apple and MLS will share revenue and Messi is expected to profit from that share either way.
As of 2024, Lionel Messi, despite his unparalleled success and earnings throughout his illustrious career, possesses an estimated net worth of $650 million, making him the second richest footballer in the world.
This figure, while still exorbitant by most standards, might seem comparatively modest given Messi's astronomical achievements on the pitch and global fame.
Is Lionel Messi a Billionaire?
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No! Lionel Messi is not yet a billionaire, although he is not so far off from claiming that status.
Like Ronaldo, despite Leo Messi's substantial earnings, which have exceeded the USD $1 billion-dollar mark over the years, his financial portfolio is subject to various deductions, including taxes, agent fees, investments, and lifestyle expenditures, which could significantly impact his overall net worth.
Messi's position as the second richest footballer worldwide underscores the immense wealth accumulated within the sport.
Beyond his earnings from football, Messi's endorsement deals, business ventures, and investments further solidify his financial prowess, showcasing his ability to leverage his iconic status both on and off the pitch to bolster his wealth and secure his legacy as one of the most financially successful athletes in history.
Messi could very well reach the billionaire status in a few years considering the vast amount of lucrative business opportunities available via his contract with Inter Miami and Adidas.
1. Faiq Bolkiah (Net Worth) - $20 billion
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Full Name: Faiq Jefri Bolkiah
Age: 26 years old (as of 2024)
Nationality: Brunei
Club/Team: Ratchaburi
Category: Richest Footballers
Net Worth: USD $20 billion
Who is the Richest footballer in the world in 2024?
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With a net worth of $20 billion, Faiq Bolkiah is the richest football player in the world among the top ten richest football players in the world in 2024.
Mainly because of his royal roots, Faiq Bolkiah is the wealthiest footballer on the planet.
Faiq Bolkiah is a professional footballer and the son of Jefri Bolkiah, the Prince of Brunei.
The 26-year-old currently plays as a midfielder for Thai League 1 club Ratchaburi having represented Leicester City, Southampton, and Chelsea at Youth level, and also played for Thailand Super League club Chonburi FC.
Faiq Bolkiah’s uncle, Hassanal Bolkiah is the Sultan of Brunei, an oil-rich country.
Faiq was born in Los Angeles, California, and is a dual citizen of Brunei and the United States.
As of 2024, Faiq Bolkiah’s net worth is estimated at $20 billion, making him the number 1 richest footballer in the world.
How is Faiq Bolkiah extremely rich?
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Pulse Sports reported that Faiq Bolkiah is filthy rich just by being a member of the royal family.
The Bruneian Royal Family is one of the most respected and influential families in the world.
The Sovereign Wealth Fund of Brunie is The Brunei Investment Agency (BIA), which is a government-owned corporation that reports to the Ministry of Finance of the Government of Brunei.
As of 2024, the fund has a total of US$73 billion in assets under management, as per figures from SWFI.
Faiq Bolkiah's father Jefri, is extremely rich and affluent having once served as the finance minister of the oil-rich Brunei.
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Jefri is the brother of oil tycoon Hassanal Bolkiah, making Faiq a member of Brunei’s royal family and one of the heirs to the sultan’s fortune.
Hassanal Bolkiah is the Sultan of Brunei, with an estimated net worth of US $28billion as per Business Standard.
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Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, is said to be the second richest monarch in the world, with an estimated net worth of $28 billion - at least nine times richer than the sovereign ruler of Saudi Arabia, King SalmanAbdulaziz bin Saud.
Most of this wealth is sourced from oil and gas investments—the sector is a mainstay of the country’s economy, and half of Brunei’s GDP relies on oil revenues.
Naturally, such status in a small nation has propelled him into the limelight.
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13:41 - 23.09.2023
Faiq Bolkiah: 15 things about world's wealthiest footballer richer than Ronaldo and Messi combined
Faiq Bolkiah dethroned Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to own the title of the 'richest footballer in the world'.
METHODOLOGY
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The Pulse Sports ranking of the world's richest footballers reflects the combined total of on-field earnings for the 2023-24 season, including base salaries, bonuses, and off-field estimates that reflect annual cash from endorsements, sponsorships, social media revenue, and the players' own businesses.
The player's net worth and figures were obtained from publicly accessible databases, such as Celebrity Net Worth, Wealthy Gorilla, Forbes, Sportico, and Capology.com. All figures used in this article are converted to U.S. dollars using the current exchange rate.
TOP 10 RICHEST FOOTBALLERS IN 2024
Footballer Name | Club/Team | Net Worth ($ USD) | |
|---|---|---|---|
Faiq Bolkiah | Ratchaburi | $20 billion | |
Lionel Messi | Inter Miami C.F | $650 million | |
Cristiano Ronaldo | Al Nassr | $600 million | |
David Beckham | Inter Miami C.F (P) | $550 million | |
Neymar Jr | Al Hilal | $250 million | |
Dave Whelan | Retired | $210 million | |
Karim Benzema | Al Ittihad | $200 million | |
Zlatan Ibrahimovic | Retired | $190 million | |
Kylian Mbappe | Paris Saint Germain | $180 million | |
Wayne Rooney | Retired | $170 million |
Who is the Richest Footballer in the World?
As of 2024, Faiq Bolkiah is the richest footballer in the world with an estimated net worth of $US 20 billion.
Bolkiah's net worth makes him at least 20 times richer than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's net worth combined.
Who is Richer Between Messi and Ronaldo?
Messi and Ronaldo are among the only three footballers in the world who have amassed over $1 billion from their illustrious careers.
However, going by their estimated net worth, Lionel Messi is richer than Cristiano Ronaldo.
Remarkably, Lionel Messi surpasses Cristiano Ronaldo in estimated net worth, boasting a staggering $650 million compared to Ronaldo's $600 million.
Who is the Richest Footballer of all time?
Faiq Bolkiah is the richest footballer of all time.
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