Forbes’ latest ranking of the top ten footballers in 2025 has proven that football is not just the world’s most popular sport- it is also a huge business, where the stars are making staggering fortunes from their on-field exploits and off-field ventures, including endorsements, investments, and other businesses.
The football elites are not just scoring goals - they are scoring fortunes, with Cristiano Ronaldo topping the list, while the young 18-year-old Lamine Yamal featured in the list alongside other football legends.
According to Forbes’ 2025 rankings, the list of the world’s wealthiest footballers is as follows:
1. Cristiano Ronaldo: $280 million
(Age: 40 | Club: Al Nassr | Nationality: Portugal | On-Field: $230 million • Off-Field: $50 million)
It seems almost impossible to believe that Cristiano Ronaldo has any space left in his trophy cabinet, given his five Ballon d’Or honors, four UEFA Champions League titles, and numerous domestic league victories across England, Spain, and Italy. Yet, at 40 years old, the iconic forward is still chasing two major milestones: reaching 1,000 career goals across club and international play—he’s currently just 52 away—and winning a World Cup with Portugal at the 2026 tournament in North America, a feat his country has never achieved beyond a third-place finish.
Off the pitch, Ronaldo continues to expand his CR7 business empire, which spans hotels, fitness centers, and watch collections. His YouTube channel, UR Cristiano, now boasts around 77 million subscribers. Altogether, according to the marketing firm Two Circles, Ronaldo commands an astonishing 1.04 billion followers across all digital platforms—more than anyone else in the world.
2. Lionel Messi: $130 million
(Age: 38 | Club: Inter Miami | Nationality: Argentina | On-Field: $60 million • Off-Field: $70 million)
For much of the year, Lionel Messi’s future in Major League Soccer seemed uncertain, but it now appears almost certain that he will remain with Inter Miami. Reports from last month suggested that the 38-year-old forward is close to agreeing on a multi-year contract extension with the South Florida club—fulfilling owner Jorge Mas’s prediction to Forbes last year that he was “highly confident” Messi would still be with the team in 2026.
The global football community is also watching to see whether Messi will pursue a record-breaking sixth World Cup appearance with Argentina next summer—a milestone that his longtime rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, could also reach with Portugal at the tournament in North America.
Off the field, Messi maintains endorsement partnerships with major brands including Adidas, Lay’s, and MasterCard. In 2024, he introduced his own sports drink, Más+ by Messi, adding to his growing business portfolio, which already features the MiM hotel chain, launched in 2017 in collaboration with Majestic Hotel Group. This year, he also became a global partner and shareholder in the restaurant franchise El Club de la Milanesa.
3. Karim Benzema: $104 million
(Age: 37 | Club: Al-Ittihad | Nationality: France | On-Field: $100 million • Off-Field: $4 million)
At 37 years old, Karim Benzema is proving he still has his scoring instincts—netting three goals in just his first two Saudi Pro League matches this season, reminiscent of the form he showed during his 14 years at Real Madrid. However, his future in the Middle East remains uncertain.
The French striker’s deal with Al Ittihad expires at the end of the current season, sparking speculation that he could make a return to Europe—potentially reuniting with former coach José Mourinho, who now manages Portugal’s Benfica.
Although Benzema’s social media following is smaller than that of Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, he still commands a strong presence, with around 76 million Instagram followers. Over the past year, he has used the platform to promote partnerships with brands such as Adidas and Assaf Perfumes.
4. Kylian Mbappé: $95 million
(Age: 26 | Club: Real Madrid | Nationality: France | On-Field: $70 million • Off-Field: $25 million)
Mbappé’s quest for his first Champions League title ended in the quarterfinals last season, his debut with Real Madrid. To add insult to injury, the French forward had to watch his former club, Paris Saint-Germain, win the tournament.
That’s not his only gripe with PSG, either: Mbappé is suing the team for $61 million in allegedly unpaid wages, and in another lawsuit that he has since dropped, he accused the club of treating him unfairly. As he awaits a result in the courtroom, Mbappé is building out an investment portfolio that includes a stake of more than 10% in German electronics company Loewe and 80% of a second-tier French soccer club, Stade Malherbe Caen.
This year, he bought into luxury watch shopping platform Wristcheck and the France SailGP Team through his firm Coalition Capital.
5. Erling Haaland: $80 million
(Age: 25 | Club: Manchester City | Nationality: Norway | On-Field: $60 million • Off-Field: $20 million)
Erling Haaland has begun another impressive campaign with Manchester City, netting 12 goals in just nine appearances across all competitions and earning the Premier League Player of the Month award for September.
The 25-year-old striker has scored 94 goals in 104 Premier League games, putting him on track to become the fastest player ever to reach 100 goals in England’s top flight—surpassing Alan Shearer, who achieved the milestone in 124 matches.
Off the pitch, Haaland maintains a lucrative endorsement deal with Nike and collaborates with several Norwegian brands, including produce distributor Bama Gruppen and Godfisk, a program promoting seafood consumption.
In 2025, he also secured an equity stake in Db, partnering with the Scandinavian luggage company, which counts luxury conglomerate LVMH among its investors.
6. Vinicius Jr.: $60 million
(Age: 25 | Club: Real Madrid | Nationality: Brazil | On-Field: $40 million • Off-Field: $20 million)
Vinícius Jr. has amassed an impressive lineup of nearly a dozen sponsorships—including Nike, Hugo Boss, and Prada Eyewear—while establishing himself as a key figure at Real Madrid, where he has recorded 110 goals and 79 assists in 330 appearances.
Despite contributing to nine goals already this season and finishing as the Ballon d’Or runner-up just last year, the 25-year-old forward’s recent dip in form has fueled speculation about his future. Although his contract with Madrid runs through 2027, reports have hinted that the club could consider moving him on next summer, with the Saudi Pro League emerging as a potential destination.
7. Mohamed Salah: $55 million
(Age: 33 | Club: Liverpool | Nationality: Egypt | On-Field: $35 million • Off-Field: $20 million)
Although Mohamed Salah had hinted that the 2024–25 season might be his last with Liverpool, he signed a new two-year contract in April to remain at Anfield through 2027. The Egyptian forward had more to celebrate shortly after, helping Liverpool capture their second Premier League title during his tenure, which began in 2017.
In the current campaign, the Reds remain firmly in contention for another championship—despite back-to-back league defeats, they sit just one point behind leaders Arsenal. On the international stage, Salah recently led Egypt to qualification for the 2026 World Cup, scoring twice in a decisive victory over Djibouti.
The tournament will mark Egypt’s second appearance in his lifetime, following their winless 2018 outing, when Salah netted the team’s only two goals.
8. Sadio Mané: $54 million (Age: 33 | Club: Al Nassr | Nationality: Senegal | On-Field: $50 million • Off-Field: $4 million)
Sadio Mané’s deal with Al Nassr is due to expire at the end of this season, but there’s little question about his desire to stay in the Middle East. When asked about his future in August, the 33-year-old Senegalese winger responded in Arabic, “inshallah,” meaning “God willing.”
For now, Mané and Al Nassr are strong contenders for the Saudi Pro League title after finishing third in 2024–25. With key players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcelo Brozović staying on and the addition of Portuguese talent João Félix, the club has started the season with four straight league victories.
Off the pitch, Mané continues his enduring partnership with New Balance.
9. Jude Bellingham: $44 million
(Age: 22 | Club: Real Madrid | Nationality: England | On-Field: $29 million • Off-Field: $15 million)
Two years ago, Jude Bellingham joined Real Madrid in what Transfermarkt ranks as the seventh-most expensive transfer in soccer history, with the Spanish giants paying nearly $140 million for the English midfielder. The investment quickly paid off, as Bellingham helped Los Blancos capture both the Champions League and La Liga titles in the 2023–24 season.
He has also been a standout performer for England’s national team and was recently named the country’s Player of the Year for 2024–25, though he was omitted from the latest World Cup qualifying squad due to limited playing time while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.
Off the field, Bellingham partners with brands such as Adidas and Lucozade, a British beverage company, and is a vocal advocate for mental health. “It’s our responsibility—as people in positions like mine—to be role models,” he said last week in an interview marking World Mental Health Day.
10. Lamine Yamal: $43 million (Age: 18 | Club: Barcelona | Nationality: Spain | On-Field: $33 million • Off-Field: $10 million)
Bursting onto the scene with Barcelona in 2023 as a 15-year-old, Yamal has since become a key figure for both club and country—helping Spain capture the Euro 2024 title and leading Barça back to the top of La Liga last season. In recognition of his rise, the club extended his contract in May, tying him to Barcelona until 2031. Just two months later, Yamal was handed the legendary No. 10 shirt, previously worn by icons like Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi.
Off the pitch, he’s rapidly becoming a commercial powerhouse. Yamal recently joined Beats by Dre’s roster of athletes, adding to existing partnerships with Adidas, Konami, and PowerAde, and even trademarked his signature “304” celebration with the European Union Intellectual Property Office as he prepares to launch his own branded merchandise.
Over the past year, his online following has skyrocketed—doubling to nearly 77 million—and his fan engagement outpaces that of soccer’s biggest stars. According to Two Circles, Yamal’s 97 tracked posts generated an average of more than 33 million views and interactions—over five times the engagement rate of Cristiano Ronaldo, the sport’s reigning social media leader.
According to Forbes, the ranking of the world’s highest-paid soccer players reports estimated earnings for the 2025–26 season, including base salaries, bonuses, and, in some cases, club-related image rights agreements. For players like Lionel Messi, who follow MLS’s calendar-year schedule, the on-field earnings figure reflects his 2025 compensation.
Off-field earnings cover annual income from endorsements, licensing, public appearances, memorabilia, and profits from businesses in which the athlete holds a significant stake. In certain cases, such as Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, club or league sponsors are believed to partially fund their playing contracts, and that contribution is included in the on-field estimates.
