Overview
- Cristiano Ronaldo is ranked No. 1 with an estimated $280 million for 2025–26, including roughly $230 million on-field and $50 million off-field, his sixth top finish in the past decade.
- Lionel Messi places second at $130 million, driven by the sport’s largest off-field haul, with Inter Miami underpinning his U.S. commercial reach.
- Forbes projects the top 10 to earn $945 million combined this season, with La Liga supplying four names led by Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham.
- Saudi Pro League presence remains strong with Ronaldo, Karim Benzema at $104 million and Sadio Mané at $54 million, while Neymar drops out after returning to Santos with about $38 million.
- Barcelona’s 18-year-old Lamine Yamal debuts at No. 10 with $43 million as younger stars enter the elite, and Bloomberg recently reported Ronaldo as football’s first billionaire.