Cristiano Ronaldo lead the list of the world’s top-earning football players while teenager Lamine Yamal has shot into the top 10 of the 2025 edition published by Forbes magazine.
Portugal’s Ronaldo, who has renewed his contract at Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr by two years, has raked in $280 million from his salary and multiple lucrative endorsements.
That is more than double the $130 million of second-placed Lionel Messi of Argentina and Inter Miami.
Former France international Karim Benzema, who plays at Saudi side Al-Ittihad, is the only other players with earnings of more than $100 million, listed at $104 million.
According to Forbes, which bases its list on publicly accessible data but also on estimates, Messi earned $70 million from off-pitch activities, and Ronaldo $50 million.
Ronaldo was last week named the first football billionaire in the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, which estimated his worth at $1.4 billion.
Spain forward Yamal, who has renewed at Barcelona until 2031, is listed 10th with €43 million at age 18, with England and Real Madrid player Jude Bellingham also new in the top 10 in ninth place with $44 million.
The others ranked fourth to eighth are forwards Kylian Mbappe (France/Real Madrid, $95 million), Erling Haaland (Norway/Manchester City, $80 million), Vinicius Junior (Brazil/Real Madrid, $60 million), Mohamed Salah (Egypt/Liverpool, $55 million) and Sadio Mané (Senegal/Al-Nassr, $54 million).
No longer in the top 10 is Neymar, who was third last year with $110 million but is now listed at $38 million after returning to his native Brazil at boyhood club Santos from Saudi side Al-Hilal.
