Forbes magazine has published its list of the highest-earning footballers of 2025. The annual ranking takes into account both players’ on-field salaries and income from commercial deals.
The top spot once again belongs to Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. His annual salary at Saudi club Al Nassr amounts to $230 million. In addition, through sponsorship agreements with Nike, Binance, and Herbalife, he earned another $50 million.
In total, Ronaldo’s yearly income reached $280 million, allowing him to reclaim the number one spot in Forbes’ ranking.
In second place is Lionel Messi of Inter Miami, earning $130 million — $60 million from his salary and $70 million from sponsorships and other sources.
Third place goes to French striker Karim Benzema of Al Ittihad with $104 million, most of which comes from his club salary.
Real Madrid’s new star Kylian Mbappe ranks fourth with $95 million, followed by Manchester City forward Erling Haaland with $80 million.
The rest of the top 10 is as follows:
6. Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid) — $60M ($40M + $20M)
7. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) — $55M ($35M + $20M)
8. Sadio Mané (Al Nassr) — $54M ($50M + $4M)
9. Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid) — $44M ($29M + $15M)
10. Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) — $43M ($33M + $10M)
Experts note that Saudi Arabia’s new financial strategy and massive contracts are playing a major role in shaping footballers’ income. Meanwhile, the inclusion of young players like Bellingham and Yamal highlights the rapid rise of the new generation of stars in both sporting and financial terms.
According to Forbes analysts, in 2025, commercial agreements are becoming just as important as sporting results. While Ronaldo and Messi remain unrivaled in earnings, younger stars like Mbappe and Haaland are starting to challenge them.
The ranking showcases not only players’ financial power but also their influence as global brands. Ronaldo’s consistent dominance once again proves that he remains one of the most powerful marketing icons in world sport.
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