Cristiano Ronaldo might be in his twilight years on the pitch, but off it he’s still in a league of his own.
The Al Nassr striker has long been praised as one of football’s top businessmen, but a new report from Bloomberg confirms his status as the best, as he’s now reached a net worth of over £1billion.
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The badge on Ronaldo’s chest has made him riches beyond his wildest dreamsCredit: Getty
The highly-respected financial website has crunched the numbers on Ronaldo’s latest staggering contract in Saudi Arabia, claiming its $400million value takes him to $1.4bn, or £1.04bn.
On top of that, he’s the first ever footballer to hit the mark.
Other sportsmen have achieved the feat like tennis icon Roger Federer and basketball legend Michael Jordan, but they’ve done it mainly through business.
Ronaldo is certainly also a mega investor in his own right, but his decision to accept the riches on offer in Riyadh has been key.
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The 40-year-old left Manchester United for the second time at the end of 2022 joining an Al Nassr side most people had never heard of.
Six months later the Saudi Pro League saw an extraordinary influx of talent, including the then-reigning Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema.
Ronaldo has long been identified as the first domino to fall in the influx, and his latest contract shows that Saudi’s Public Investment Fund agrees with that theory.
His initial deal was worth a reported £150m per-year with a £22m signing bonus, making him by far the highest-paid athlete in the world.
The Portuguese icon’s contract is also tax free, and includes private jet access keeping his net income at such an extraordinary level.
Breaking through at Sporting in 2002, Bloomberg claim that in the two decades between his first professional appearance and his last in Europe in 2022 he earned an estimated $550m (£409m) in wages across spells with United, Real Madrid and Juventus.
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Ronaldo’s new contract isn’t far off what he earned becoming an all-time great for two decades at Madrid, United and JuventusCredit: AFPCristiano Ronaldo’s business portfolio
Yet we can’t overlook Ronaldo’s business sense either.
The financial portal credit Miguel Marques as one of the most important figures in CR7’s ascent through his Lisbon-based LMcapital Wealth Management.
A ten-year deal with Nike is estimated at £13m as part of a portfolio that totals around £130m annually.
Other partnerships include brand leaders Castrol and Armani.
On top of that Ronaldo invests in numerous businesses back home in Portugal, such as ceramics, padel, hotels, gyms and a hair replacement company, but those aren’t major drivers in his wealth generation.
Yet despite it all, football’s all-time top scorer claims he’d forfeit all of his salaries just for the honour of representing his country.
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Ronaldo’s biggest honour is still representing his country, and he’s got eyes on the 2026 World CupCredit: Getty
Upon collecting the Globo Prestigio award at the Portugal Football Globes gala, he claimed: “I often say: if I could, I would play football only for the national team; I wouldn’t play for any other club because it’s the culmination and the peak of a football player.
“That’s why I’m still here. I want to thank everyone who’s here. So many generations have passed through the national team. I see so many former players here who were my teammates, and seeing them, I say: ‘I’m still here.’
“I know you’re probably tired of seeing me here, at these ceremonies. But I think I still have a lot to contribute to the national team and to football.
“I want to keep playing for a few years, not many, I have to be honest. I want to thank all my teammates, for having learned from all of them – and even from this younger generation as well. For me, it’s a privilege to be with you.
“Our goal is to win the next two games and be in the World Cup. The World Cup will come soon. We have to think solely and exclusively about the present, but with our thoughts ahead. It would be a dream. But step by step.”