What is Cristiano Ronaldo's net worth and salary?
Cristiano Ronaldo is a Portuguese professional soccer player, product ambassador, and entrepreneur who has a net worth of $800 million. Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the highest-paid entertainers on the planet. In a given year he easily earns $100-150 million from salary and endorsements. As an example, in 2020 he earned $120 million – roughly $70 million from salary and $50 million from endorsements with companies like Nike, Clear Shampoo, and Herbalife. Regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, Cristiano Ronaldo has earned his place among legends such as Pele, Maradona, and George Best. Also known as "CR7," he is often compared with Lionel Messi in a fiery debate over who is the best player in the world.
By the time he retires, Cristiano Ronaldo will have easily surpassed $2 billion in career earnings from salary and endorsements, a milestone that no other footballer has passed. When he accomplishes that feat, he will join the $1 billion athlete club, which currently includes Floyd Mayweather ($1 billion), Michael Schumacher ($1 billion), Jack Nicklaus ($1.15 billion), Arnold Palmer ($1.35 billion), Tiger Woods ($1.65 billion) and Michael Jordan ($2+ billion).
Al Nassr Saudi Contract
In early December 2022, in the midst of the World Cup, a rumor percolated that Cristiano – freshly released from his Manchester United contract – was on the verge of signing an absolutely enormous deal with a Saudi team called Al Nassr. On December 5, 2022, it was reportedly confirmed that Cristiano had signed a 500 million Euro, 2.5-year deal. That would be the largest contract in sports history in terms of earnings per season – which breaks out to $210 million.
Early Life
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro was born on February 5th, 1985, on the Portuguese island of Madeira. His mother was a cook, and his father was a gardener and a part-time equipment manager for a local soccer team. Cristiano's family was not affluent, and he shared a single room with all of his siblings. The name "Ronaldo" was added to Cristiano's name by his father in honor of Ronald Reagan.
Cristiano displayed notable talent from a young age, and by the age of 12, he had a successful trial with Sporting Lisbon who signed him as a youth player. By age 14, he had quit school in order to focus entirely on soccer. This coincided with Ronaldo's expulsion after throwing a chair at a teacher. It wasn't all smooth sailing, however, as Cristiano would later discover he had a racing heart – a condition that required surgery. After receiving heart surgery to stabilize his heart rate, Ronaldo returned to training.
Professional Career
At the age of 17, Cristiano Ronaldo made his debut for Sporting Lisbon's first team, scoring twice in a 3-0 win. After Sporting beat Manchester United 3-1 in 2003, Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson became determined to sign the young player. Ronaldo signed for Manchester United at the beginning of the next season, signing a record-breaking fee for a teenager in English football. He made his debut as a substitute in a 4-0 win, scoring a free-kick as his first goal for the Red Devils.
Although Ronaldo asked for a transfer in the 2006-2007 season, he continued to play for Manchester United and improved his style of play in the process. During this season, he scored over 20 goals and won the Premier League title. The next season, he won the Champions League for the first time and scored 42 goals, setting a new club record. Ronaldo spent one more year at the club for the 2008-2009 season.
Ronaldo subsequently joined Real Madrid, his boyhood club, for a record-breaking transfer fee at the time. He scored in each of his first four games for the club, setting another record. He ended his debut season with Real Madrid with 33 goals. Next season, he became the first Real Madrid player to score more than 40 goals. The following year, he would shatter his previous records with 60 goals in all competitions. After more years of success, he finished 2013 with 69 goals, winning the Ballon d'Or for the first time. In 2018, Ronaldo left Real Marid, having won multiple trophies and setting various records.
He then joined Juventus, finishing his debut season with 21 goals and eight assists. In 2020, Cristiano Ronaldo began his second season at Juventus. Ronaldo has also enjoyed a successful international career, winning the Euro Cup in 2016. In Portuguese colors, Ronaldo has played more of a leadership role in the team, often showing extraordinary levels of passion and commitment. He returned to Manchester United in 2021 and finished his only full season as the club's top scorer before his contract was terminated in 2022. In 2023, Ronaldo signed with Al Nassr.
(Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
Endorsement Earnings and Salary
Cristiano Ronaldo typically earns more than $60 million per year as a base salary, although this has changed throughout the years and with his different clubs. Off the field, he earns more than $40 million a year from endorsements.
Between June 2017 and June 2018, Cristiano earned $108 million: $61 million through salary and $47 million from endorsements. Between June 2018 and June 2019, he earned $110 million from his empire. In the following one-year period, he earned $120 million.
One of his most lucrative brand endorsement deals was with Nike. In November 2016, it was revealed that Cristiano had signed a $1 billion "lifetime" deal with Nike. Specific terms of the deal are not known but it is believed that the deal came with a $100 million signing bonus.
In addition, Cristiano Ronaldo sells various self-branded products, such as perfumes and clothing.
After spending nine years with Real Madrid, in 2018, Cristiano Ronaldo signed a four-year deal with Juventus that pays a base salary of $64 million.
Style Of Play
Cristiano Ronaldo began his career as a winger, using his speed and trickery to beat players in one-on-one situations and deliver crosses into the box. From a young age, he was also known for his shooting ability, particularly when it came to long-range strikes and free kicks. Cristiano developed his own trademark technique for free kicks which involved striking through the center of the ball in order to create an unpredictable path of flight.
Later in his career, Cristiano played as a central, traditional striker. As his pace diminished with age, Ronaldo reinvented his style of play to be more of a "goal poacher, finishing clinically inside the box. His ability to score from crosses is especially notable – either by towering headers or spectacular bicycle kicks. In recent years, Cristiano Ronaldo's free-kick abilities have suffered.
(Photo by Thananuwat Srirasant/Getty Images)
Awards and Trophies
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most decorated soccer players in history. He has won the Ballon d'Or five times, which is the highest honor an individual soccer player can receive. He has won the Golden Boot four times, which is a trophy given to the highest scorer across the various leagues. In regards to both of these awards, Ronaldo has won them more than any other European player.
As of 2023, Ronaldo has won 32 trophies over the course of his career, including seven league titles, five Champions League wins, a Euro Cup win, and a Nations League win. When he won the Champions League in 2018, he became the first player in history to do so five times. Cristiano's goal-scoring record is also record-breaking. As of 2023, he has scored over 800 goals over the course of his career for club and country. He scored 140 goals in the Champions League, which is a record, and also scored 17 goals in the Euro Cup – another record. He's the first player to score in two European Cup finals for two different winning teams. At the age of 35, Ronaldo belonged to a small club of players who have appeared in more than 1,000 matches – with no sign of retiring.
Personal Life
Ronaldo has five children. In January 2015, his relationship with Russian model Irina Shayk ended after five years. Currently, Cristiano is in a relationship with Spanish model Georgina Rodriguez.
Cristiano Ronaldo has contributed to many charities over his career, including donations to relief efforts after natural disasters and becoming the Global Artist Ambassador for Save the Children. He was named the world's most charitable sportsperson in 2015 after donating over $6 million to the relief effort for the Nepal earthquake that killed over 8,000 people.
In 2023, his family moved to Saudi Arabia, and Ronaldo listed his Manchester mansion for sale at $6.6 million. They lived in a skyscraper hotel in Riyadh for $ 300k per month before finding a home. His $21.6 million Portugal megamansion has an indoor and outdoor swimming pool and a garage that can hold up to 30 supercars and is where he plans to retire at the end of his football career.
