As of the time of writing, Portuguese sports icon Cristiano Ronaldo became the first-ever athlete to achieve a net worth of $1.4 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
At 40 years old and with a net worth of $1.4 billion, Ronaldo is now a member of an extremely elite club of an athlete-billionaire. Aside from Ronaldo, we can also include Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, and Magic Johnson.
Massive Contracts and Endorsements
Ronaldo’s financial growth increased rapidly upon signing a record-setting deal with Al-Nassr in Saudi Pro League in June, worth at least $400 million. Cristiano’s contract made him the highest-paid player in the history of football, with an annual salary of £177 million ($237 million), along with extras and a share of 15% of club revenue.
As reported by Bloomberg, Ronaldo earned over $550 million in salary alone from 2002 to 2023, in addition to massive earnings off the pitch; a 10-year deal with Nike worth $18 million and other endorsements with Armani, Castrol, etc. yielded over $175 million combined.
The Billionaire Athlete Club
With this accomplishment, Ronaldo becomes a very limited group of billionaires in global sports. Also in this exclusive group are basketball heroes Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Magic Johnson; golfer Tiger Woods; and tennis great Roger Federer.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo’s longtime competitor Lionel Messi, who is now playing for Inter Miami, has eclipsed $600 million in pre-tax salary in his career but has yet to achieve billionaire status.
Ronaldo Not Ready to Retire
Despite his age and achievements, Ronaldo says he isn’t ready to hang up his boots. Speaking at the Portugal Football Globes gala on Tuesday, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner said:
“I still have a passion for this. My family says it’s time to quit… but I’m still producing good things, helping my club and national team.”
He added that he intends to play for a few more years:
“I know I don’t have many years left, but I want to enjoy them to the fullest.”
Ronaldo’s success both on and off the pitch continues to make him one of the most influential athletes in the world. Report: Cristiano Ronaldo Becomes Football First Billionaire 2k25
