LISBON: Cristiano Ronaldo has officially entered football’s financial hall of fame, becoming the first-ever billionaire footballer, according to a new analysis by Bloomberg.
The 40-year-old Portuguese icon’s estimated net worth of £1.04 billion reflects decades of record-breaking earnings, global endorsement deals, and smart investments all adjusted for taxes and market performance.
The report credits his £300 million tax-free contract with Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr and a string of luxury brand partnerships for propelling him to the top of the world’s richest athletes.
Bloomberg’s findings place Ronaldo ahead of long-time rival Lionel Messi, whose move to Inter Miami in the United States has reportedly reduced his annual income.
Ronaldo’s wealth portfolio includes a lifetime deal with Nike worth approximately £745 million, making it the single most lucrative agreement in sports history.
He also maintains sponsorships with Tag Heuer, Armani, Louis Vuitton, PokerStars, Samsung, and Unilever, among others.
Beyond endorsements, Ronaldo owns an expanding real estate empire and a range of luxury ventures, including his own CR7 fragrance line and fashion label. He is also constructing a £28 million mansion in his native Portugal
pictured of Cristen Ronaldo
a vast modern complex featuring a 1,000-square-foot master suite and a glass swimming pool with an underwater walkway.
Ronaldo’s love for opulence extends to his £18 million car collection, which includes a limited-edition Bugatti Centodieci worth £8.5 million, and a £61 million Bombardier Global Express 6500 private jet, replacing the Gulfstream G200 he purchased in 2015.
Despite earning a staggering £167.9 million a year in Saudi Arabia — roughly £300 per minute — Ronaldo admitted this week that his true passion remains with his national team.
While accepting the Globo Prestigio Award for outstanding contribution to football in Oeiras, he reflected emotionally on his 22-year international career.
I’ve been with the national team for 22 years; that speaks for itself — the passion I have for wearing the jersey, for winning trophies, for playing for Portugal, he said.
If I could, I would play only for the national team. It’s the culmination and the peak of any football player’s career.
C.Ronaldo and girl friend
Ronaldo, who remains in remarkable physical shape, dismissed suggestions that his latest award signals retirement.
I got a little nervous, thinking, ‘Is this an end-of-career award? But I don’t see it that way. It’s a continuation of what I’ve always done, he said.
I still have a lot to contribute to football and to Portugal. I want to keep playing for a few more years not many, but a few.
Currently sitting on 946 career goals, Ronaldo insists he no longer obsesses over numbers as he once did.
Twenty years ago, I wanted to eat the world. Now, age has taught me to see things differently. I still want to win but with balance.
Known for his intense discipline and longevity, Ronaldo has turned that drive into unmatched financial success.
His ownership stake in Al-Nassr, coupled with expanding lifestyle brands and global business ventures, keeps him among the world’s most influential athletes.
Despite his vast wealth, Ronaldo maintains a simple ambition to win another World Cup with Portugal. Our goal is clear: to qualify and win the World Cup,” he said. That’s the dream.
Even as his real estate and luxury assets grow from his delayed hospital-sized Quinta da Marinha mansion to his elite car and jet collections Ronaldo continues to dominate on the pitch.
This season, the Al-Nassr star has scored four goals in four games, proving that age has done little to dull his competitive edge.
For Cristiano Ronaldo, the legacy is now twofold as both the most successful footballer n history and the sport’s first-ever billionaire.
Yet, in his own words, the greatest riches still lie in wearing the red and green of Portugal.
