Forbes has released its anticipated annual ranking of the world’s highest-paid athletes, and once again, Cristiano Ronaldo takes center stage. For the third consecutive year —and the fifth time in his career— the Portuguese star tops the list, amassing an impressive $275 million in total earnings over the past year.

Since his move to Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo has not only shaken up football in the Middle East but also boosted his bank account. His income grew by $15 million compared to last year, thanks to commercial deals and sponsorships supported by his enormous social media following, which reached 939 million as of May 2025.

However, on the sporting side, things haven't been as successful. Despite the millions, CR7 has yet to win a major title with his new club, a stark contrast to his trophy-laden spells at Real Madrid and Manchester United.

Cristiano Ronaldo is The Highest-Paid Athlete: Messi Doesn't Even Come Close, and Mbappé is Nowhere Near

By comparison, Lionel Messi ranks fifth on the list with $135 million, the same as last year. His move to Inter Miami CF in MLS has boosted his image in the U.S. and landed him high-profile contracts with giants like Adidas and Apple, but his overall earnings still fall far short of his longtime Portuguese rival.

And if Messi can’t keep up, Kylian Mbappé is even further behind — he doesn’t even make the top 10. Despite being one of the biggest football stars on the planet, the French striker hasn’t yet converted his sporting success into earnings at the same level.

Coming in second place is Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors, with $156 million, making him the highest-paid athlete outside of football. He is followed by boxer Tyson Fury ($146 million), Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott ($137 million), and the aforementioned Messi.

The rest of the list includes notable names like LeBron James ($133.8 million), Juan Soto ($114 million), Karim Benzema ($104 million), Shohei Ohtani ($102.5 million), and Kevin Durant ($101.4 million).

While the Portuguese forward continues to land multimillion-dollar deals, the rest of the sports world watches from afar as Cristiano Ronaldo breaks records not only on the pitch, but in the bank as well.