How Cristiano Ronaldo became the world’s first billionaire footballer — from Al Nassr riches to global brand power

Cristiano Ronaldo might not be winning football’s GOAT debate, but he is surely winning other major races as he has become the first active footballer to become a billionaire and is on the brink of becoming the first footballer to score 1,000 official goals.

The biggest driving force behind 40-year-old Ronaldo’s burgeoning wealth is his latest contract extension at the Saudi Pro League football club Al Nassr earlier this year, which is reportedly worth over $400 million. This has landed Ronaldo on the Bloomberg Billionaire Index, the first for an active footballer through football income.

Ronaldo’s move to Al Nassr has proven to be a massive success off the pitch if not on the field. One of the most fiercely competitive footballers, Ronaldo, moving to Saudi Arabia in 2023 from Manchester United, raised a lot of eyebrows even though he was already in his late 30s.

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Fans and experts felt that the five-time Ballon d’Or was opting for an ‘easier’ league during the twilight of his career, but critics called it an effort to ‘sportwash’ Saudi Arabia’s wrongdoings and poor human rights record.

Nonetheless, the move to Saudi Arabia has added millions of dollars to Ronaldo’s coffers. With an annual salary of an estimated $225 million, the Madeira-born Ronaldo was the highest-paid sportsperson in the world in 2025, as per Forbes’ list for the world’s highest-paid athletes.

Ronaldo hits gold mine with Saudi move

But the two-year contract extension he signed earlier this year, which will see him stay at Al Nassr till 2027, has added massive wealth to his bank accounts, making him the world’s first billionaire footballer.

As per Bloomberg, Ronaldo’s net worth has soared to $ 1.4 billion after the latest deal. One of the major reasons Ronaldo’s wealth has increased so rapidly since moving to Saudi Arabia is the fact that he enjoys a tax-free income in the Middle Eastern country.

As per the report, Ronaldo earned $550 million in salary while playing in Europe for major clubs like United, Real Madrid and Juventus between 2002 and 2023.

Since joining Al Nassr in January 2023, Ronaldo has earned at least $200 million per year in tax-free salary and bonuses. With the latest contract extension in 2025, a massive $400 million at least has been added to his repository, besides the Portuguese footballer also clinching a 15% stake in the club.

Other major drivers behind Ronaldo’s growing money empire are his endorsement deals with Nike, Armani, Castrol and other brands. Overall, he is expected to make $175 million from his endorsement deals, with $18 million coming just from Nike, which has penned a decade-long deal with Ronaldo, who has over 660 million Instagram followers.

Ronaldo’s on-field success fuels his massive wealth creation

A shrewd businessperson off the pitch, Ronaldo has reportedly also invested heavily in real estate in Portugal that includes luxury properties in Lisbon and Madeira.

It’s staggering to think how Ronaldo has managed to build such a massive empire while also being one of the most successful footballers. As a player, Ronaldo won all major trophies in Europe, including the Champions League title multiple times, the English Premier League and La Liga.

With 141 goals in 223 matches, Ronaldo is the highest goalscorer in men’s international football. He is also only 54 goals away from becoming the first footballer to score 1,000 official goals, which for now seems to be his biggest aim.