Cristiano Ronaldo sets new record as world's highest-paid athlete

By Hoang An May 21, 2025 | 04:47 pm PT

Ronaldo celebrates after Portugal beat Denmark 5-2 in the second leg of the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals at Jose Alvalade Stadium, Lisbon, Portugal on March 23, 2025. Photo by AP

Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has once again topped Forbes' list of the world's highest-paid athletes, marking the third consecutive year he has claimed the number one spot and a record fifth time overall.

The list, released last weekend by Forbes, revealed that the 40-year-old forward earned $275 million over the past 12 months, up $15 million from the previous period. Of that, $225 million came from salary and bonuses with his Saudi club Al Nassr, while $50 million came from off-field ventures such as endorsements and business deals.

Ronaldo is now the first athlete in history to lead Forbes’ ranking five times. His $275 million is also the third-highest one-year earnings ever recorded by an athlete, trailing only Floyd Mayweather’s $300 million in 2015 and $285 million in 2018, both earned through blockbuster boxing matches with Manny Pacquiao and Conor McGregor.

What stands out even more is the income gap between Ronaldo and the second-highest earner on the list, NBA star Stephen Curry. The 37-year-old Golden State Warriors point guard earned $156 million, just 57% of Ronaldo’s income.

Lionel Messi, Ronaldo’s long-time rival, dropped two places to fifth this year, earning $135 million. Of that, $60 million came from salary and bonuses, while $75 million came from endorsements, unchanged from the previous year.

Karim Benzema is the only other footballer in the top 10, ranking with $104 million. The Al Ittihad captain earned $100 million in salary and $4 million from other sources.

The rest of the top 10 includes basketball stars LeBron James, who earned $134 million and Kevin Durant with $101 million; baseball players Juan Soto and Shohei Ohtani with $114 million and $103 million respectively, boxer Tyson Fury with $146 million and NFL quarterback Dak Prescott, who earned $137 million.

Forbes, founded in 1917, is a leading American business magazine known for its rankings, including "Forbes 400," "The World’s Most Powerful People," and "Global 2000."