Ronaldo Tops, Messi Second on Forbes' List of Top 10 Highest-Earning Players
Cristiano Ronaldo tops Forbes' list of highest-earning players for 2026 with $300 million in revenue, surpassing Messi and Mbappé.
Translated by Qiyas from الجريدة — Original source
Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo tops the list of the world’s highest-earning football players for 2026, with annual revenues estimated at around $300 million, more than double the income of Argentine Lionel Messi, according to a ranking attributed to Forbes magazine, as detailed by the British newspaper The Sun.
Messi came in second with an estimated income of around $145 million, followed by French forward Kylian Mbappé at $100 million. The list also featured young Spanish sensation Lamine Yamal in sixth place and Egyptian star Mohamed Salah in tenth.
According to the report, Ronaldo’s earnings are distributed between approximately $250 million from his contract with Saudi club Al Nassr and $50 million from sponsorship, advertising, and business activities.
Messi, on the other hand, earns around $70 million from his contract with American club Inter Miami, plus $75 million from his business ventures, surpassing Ronaldo in off-field income despite the significant gap in total earnings.
The combined income of the two stars amounts to around $445 million, roughly half of the total earnings of the ten players named on the list.
Real Madrid star Mbappé took third place with an annual income estimated at around $100 million, ahead of Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, who came fourth with $84 million.
Real Madrid’s Brazilian winger Vinícius Júnior ranked fifth with earnings of around $76 million, derived from his club contract and sponsorship and advertising deals.
Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal placed sixth with an estimated income of around $55 million, followed by Senegalese forward Sadio Mané, now at Al Nassr, with $54 million.
English midfielder Jude Bellingham of Real Madrid came in eighth with $45 million, ahead of his compatriot Harry Kane, Bayern Munich’s striker, who ranked ninth with $42 million.
The figures include estimated income from club contracts, sponsorships, advertising, and business activities, and are not limited to players’ salaries.
