GOAL reported that a press report on Tuesday revealed a list of the highest-paid players in world football, with Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of Lionel Messi. According to the Forbes list, estimates put Ronaldo's earnings at around 225 million pounds sterling in a single season, while Messi earns around 108 million pounds sterling.
Ronaldo and Messi earnings
According to the Forbes list, estimates put Ronaldo's earnings at around 225 million pounds sterling (300 million dollars) in a single season. That figure breaks down into roughly 187 million pounds sterling (250 million dollars) from Al-Nassr and around 37 million pounds sterling (50 million dollars) from his commercial deals.
Ronaldo pockets around 488,000 pounds sterling a day under his contract with Al-Nassr. The Sun reported that Cristiano Ronaldo earns more than double what Lionel Messi takes home.
Messi earns around 108 million pounds sterling (145 million dollars) in a single season. His contract with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer hands him nearly 52 million pounds sterling a year (70 million dollars), while sponsorship money brings in an extra 56 million pounds sterling (75 million dollars) annually.
Top 10 list
Kylian Mbappé comes third, earning around 75 million pounds sterling a year. Erling Haaland is fourth with 64 million pounds sterling (84 million dollars), and Vinícius Júnior rounds off the top five with around 56 million pounds sterling (76 million dollars) a year.
Lamine Yamal is sixth with around 41 million pounds sterling (55 million dollars) a year. Sadio Mané is on 40 million pounds sterling (54 million dollars), and Bellingham on 34 million pounds sterling (45 million dollars). Harry Kane is ninth with around 32 million pounds sterling a year, and Mohamed Salah rounds off the top ten with an annual salary of 30 million pounds sterling.
Total and absentee
Ronaldo and Messi account for nearly half of the 706 million pounds sterling earned by the top earners combined. Haaland is the only Premier League representative on the list.
Karim Benzema is the most notable absentee from the list. Benzema earned 78 million pounds sterling (104 million dollars) last season before ending his contract with Al-Hilal and is currently a free agent.