At 40 years old, Cristiano Ronaldo made history againbut this time off the field. According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, the Portuguese became the first footballer in the world to exceed one billion dollars in assetsan achievement that places him in a club where only names like Michael Jordan and Roger Federer appear.
His fortune, estimated at 1.4 billion dollarsreflects two decades of career in the soccer elite and an impressive ability to monetize his image. Although the definitive leap came after landing in Saudi Arabia, the truth is that the CR7 brand has become one of the most profitable on the planet.
The Al-Nassr forward continues to break molds at a time when many of his contemporaries have already retired. With a contract valued at more than 400 million dollars, Ronaldo is today the highest paid athlete in the worlda title that combines his sporting talent with his business instinct.
Cristiano Ronaldo and his business skills
For years, the fortune of Cristiano Ronaldo He stopped depending exclusively on his goals. His personal brand includes hotels, gyms, perfumes, clothing and even a line of nutritional products.. In Portugal, its Pestana CR7 chain has become an emblem of luxury sports tourism, with offices in Lisbon, Funchal and Madrid.
The move to Saudi Arabia not only meant an astronomical contract—with an annual tax-free salary close to $200 million—but also a shareholding in the Al-Nassr club and other benefits that few athletes have negotiated. Bloomberg detailed that, in addition to the salary, the Portuguese receives income from image rights and collaborations with giants such as Nike, Armani and Clear, which bring in close to an additional $100 million per year.
Its financial team, headed by Miguel Marques, manages investments in real estate and startups in Portugal. His properties include a mansion in Lisbon valued at more than 20 million euros and another in the exclusive Quinta da Marinha. He also participates in projects linked to paddle tennis and sports media, demonstrating an unusual diversification in the football environment.
Ronaldo, furthermore, breaks off-court records on social media: exceeds 660 million followers on Instagram, making him the most sought-after influencer in the world. Each commercial publication can generate between 2 and 3 million dollars, according to estimates by the Hopper HQ portal.
Cristiano Ronaldo
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The difference in fortune between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi
The rivalry between Christian Ronaldo and Lionel Messi moved, inevitably, to the economic field. According to Bloomberg, Messi’s assets are around 620 million pounds (about 750 million dollars), an impressive figure but still far below that of the Portuguese.
While the Inter Miami star perceives around 20 million dollars annually guaranteedthe figure represents just a fraction of what Ronaldo earns in Saudi Arabia. In addition, the Argentine has focused his strategy on alliances with family brands and projects, such as the MiM hotel chain and his own clothing brand, without the aggressive business diversification of his rival.
The comparison, of course, is not entirely linear. Ronaldo remains active in a market with tax benefits and record contracts, while Messi is going through a more relaxed stage in the MLS. But even with that nuance, The heritage difference marks a before and after in the history of modern sports: For the first time, an active footballer enters the select group of global billionaires.
Source: Ambito
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
