Cristiano Ronaldo finally settles GOAT debate after becoming a BILLIONAIRE ahead of Lionel Messi

While Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s on-pitch rivalry captivated millions, a quieter, equally compelling contest was unfolding in the realm of personal wealth.

 For a long time, the narrative was that both were incredibly rich, but a subtle distinction often went unnoticed. 

However, one was first to the summit of the stratosphere – Cristiano Ronaldo.

According to Celebrity Net Worth, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner has only just joined the billionaire club for the first time, definitively surpassing his Argentine counterpart in net worth, largely thanks to a groundbreaking, unprecedented contract extension with Saudi club Al Nassr.

Back in June 2020, headlines erroneously declared Ronaldo a "billionaire," a claim that, while exciting, was technically incorrect, as reported by the aforementioned outlet.

 At that point, the Portuguese legend had indeed accumulated over $1 billion in career earnings. 

This placed him in an exclusive pantheon alongside sporting titans like Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan. 

However, after accounting for taxes, substantial spending, and investments, his actual net worth was still shy of the true billionaire mark. 

He had earned it, but he hadn't quite kept it to that extent.

Fast forward five eventful years, and the landscape has significantly changed.

The pivotal moment arrived in December 2022 when Ronaldo made the shock move to Al Nassr, a deal that immediately redefined athlete compensation.

But it is the recent extension, signed in June 2025, that has truly cemented his financial supremacy. 

This new agreement catapults his annual income to stratospheric levels, unequivocally pushing his net worth into the rarefied air of billionaires. 

Ronaldo’s initial contract with Al Nassr in 2022 was already monumental, reportedly valuing his two-and-a-half-year tenure at an astonishing €200 million ($210 million) per year, establishing him as the world's highest-paid athlete. 

This figure encompassed his salary, commercial bonuses, and image rights, immediately generating global buzz.

However, the recently penned extension, running through June 2027, makes that initial deal seem like a joke.

As per the aforementioned outlet, this new contract is worth a staggering £492 million, approximately $620 million, over two years – making it the most lucrative player contract in the annals of sports history by a significant margin.

The sheer scale of the agreement is breathtaking. 

It includes an astronomical $224 million per year in base salary, a substantial $31 million signing bonus (which could rise to $48 million), and, remarkably, a 15% ownership stake in Al Nassr, valued at around $42 million. 

Further perks include $5 million in private jet expenses covered by the club, a full-time 16-person household staff, and additional bonus incentives amounting to up to $20 million. 

On top of this, the 40-year-old Portuguese great stands to earn an extra $76 million from commercial deals and sponsorships tied to the club. 

Some analyses even suggest the total value could soar as high as $936 million if all performance-based bonuses and sponsorship triggers are met.

While both Ronaldo and Messi have enjoyed unparalleled careers marked by immense earnings, their paths to wealth have diverged, particularly in recent years. 

Before Ronaldo's latest Al Nassr deal, Forbes estimates for 2024 placed Ronaldo's total earnings at $275 million (including $225 million on-field and $50 million off-field), while Messi earned $135 million ($60 million on-field, $75 million off-field).

Prior to this new contract, CR7’s brand value was pegged at a staggering $883.8 million (€850 million) by the Portuguese Institute of Administration and Marketing (IPAM), while Messi's stood closer to $850 million as per Celebrity Net Worth, largely accumulated through their massive playing contracts, highly lucrative global endorsement deals with powerhouses like Adidas (for Messi, a lifetime deal) and Nike (for Ronaldo, a lifetime deal), and astute business investments.

Messi, for example, has ventures in hotels (MiM Hotels) and technology (Play Time Sports-Tech HoldCo), alongside his philanthropic Leo Messi Foundation.

Ronaldo, similarly, has built an empire beyond the pitch with his CR7 brand, encompassing clothing, fragrances, gyms, and hotels. 

CR7 was recently ranked amongst the most successful celebrity-fashioned owned brands in the world.

His investments span real estate and various commercial partnerships.

However, it is the sheer magnitude and structure of this new Al Nassr contract – combining an unprecedented salary with an ownership stake and a plethora of luxury benefits – that has truly set Ronaldo apart.

The debate over who is the greater player may continue indefinitely, but in the high-stakes game of financial supremacy, Cristiano Ronaldo has, for now, emphatically staked his claim as football's undisputed self-made billionaire.