Cristiano RonaldoGetty

Cristiano Ronaldo overtakes Lionel Messi and sets new world record for highest annual earnings after raking in $136m in 2023

  • Ronaldo overtakes Messi
  • Raked in $136m (£104m)
  • Moved to Saudi Arabia in January

WHAT HAPPENED? Ronaldo has topped Forbes' list of the world's highest-paid athletes for the first time since 2017, and has earned a Guinness World Record for the highest annual earnings of an athlete in 2023, after raking in a staggering $136m since his move to Al-Nassr. Messi won the award in 2022, when he earned $130m (£103m) across the year, when he was still on the books at Paris Saint-Germain.

THE GOSSIP: Ronaldo's earnings are split between on-pitch and off-pitch earnings. The Portugal international earned $46m (£35m) in the former and $90m (£68.5m) in the latter. He saw his salary almost doubled when he moved to Al-Nassr, but his earnings there are outstripped hugely by his sponsorship deal with Nike and his CR7-branded merchandise.

IN THREE PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT? Ronaldo will link up with Al- Nassr ahead of their pre-season friendlies against the likes of Celta Vigo, PSG, and Inter.

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