5. Kylian Mbappé – Real Madrid 2025 Earnings: $110 million | Estimated Net Worth: $220 million (age 26)
Mbappé’s free transfer to Real Madrid in the summer of 2024 came with the biggest signing-on bonus in football history: €150 million spread over five years. His base salary is €80 million net per season, plus up to €40 million in easily achievable bonuses (Champions League progression, Golden Boot, etc.). Add $20 million from Nike (lifetime deal signed at 18), $15 million from Hublot and Oakley, and $10 million from his own clothing line and NFT projects, and the 26-year-old is already one of the five richest players ever while still in his prime.
Off the pitch, Mbappé owns luxury properties in Paris and Madrid, a stake in a French esports team, and is launching his own production company in 2026. Forbes predicts he will be football’s first active billionaire by 2032 if he maintains this trajectory.
4. Neymar Jr – Al-Hilal 2025 Earnings: $120 million | Estimated Net Worth: $280 million (age 33)
Even with recurring injuries, Neymar’s Saudi deal is still the most lucrative pure-salary contract in sport. €150 million per year tax-free, plus a €100 million signing bonus spread over the deal. On-field earnings alone would place him in the top 5, but his off-field empire is insane: $100 million+ from Puma, Red Bull, and his own fashion and gaming brands. His Instagram (220 million followers) is worth $10–15 million per sponsored post.
Neymar also owns a yacht, private jet, and a portfolio of properties in Brazil, Paris, and Barcelona. He’s invested heavily in esports (he owns a team in Brazil’s CBCS) and launched his own comic book series in 2024. At 33, he’s already set for life — and still playing at elite level when fit.
3. Lionel Messi – Inter Miami 2025 Earnings: $135 million | Estimated Net Worth: $700 million (age 38)
Messi’s MLS salary is “only” €60 million, but his partnership with Apple and MLS (the famous “Messi deal”) adds an estimated €75 million per year through revenue sharing from Apple TV subscriptions. Add $50 million from Adidas (lifetime contract), Pepsi, Konami, and his own Messi Store clothing line, and the 38-year-old Argentine is still the most marketable athlete on Earth.
His 600 million+ Instagram followers make every sponsored post worth $5–10 million. Off-field, he owns luxury hotels in Barcelona and Miami, a vineyard in Argentina, and multiple real-estate developments. Forbes calls him “the closest thing sport has to a billionaire brand”.
2. Karim Benzema – Al-Ittihad 2025 Earnings: $140 million | Estimated Net Worth: $120 million (age 37)
The 2022 Ballon d’Or winner’s move to Saudi Arabia in 2023 remains one of the biggest paydays ever. €100 million annual salary (tax-free) + €100 million signing bonus spread over the contract. He also earns $30 million from endorsements (Hublot, Hyundai, TAG Heuer) and has built a luxury watch and jewellery brand that generates $20 million yearly.
Benzema owns vineyards in France, multiple properties in Madrid and Lyon, and has invested heavily in French startups. Quiet and private, he’s the richest “silent” footballer on the planet.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo – Al-Nassr 2025 Earnings: $275 million | Estimated Net Worth: $1.3 billion (age 40)
Ronaldo is officially football’s first billionaire and still the highest earner by a mile. His Al-Nassr contract pays €200 million per year + up to €75 million in bonuses. Add his lifetime Nike deal ($1 billion over career), Herbalife, Clear shampoo, Binance, and his CR7 brand (hotels, gyms, underwear, fragrances) generating over $200 million annually, and the 40-year-old Portuguese superstar is in a league of his own.
His social media empire (1 billion+ followers across platforms) is worth $100 million+ per year in sponsored content alone. He owns luxury hotels in Madrid, New York, and Marrakech, a pest-control company, and a growing fitness app empire. Forbes calls him “the most valuable personal brand in sport history”.
Quick Comparison Table (2025)
| Rank | Player | Club | 2025 Earnings | Net Worth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Al-Nassr | $275m | $1.3b |
| 2 | Karim Benzema | Al-Ittihad | $140m | $120m |
| 3 | Lionel Messi | Inter Miami | $135m | $700m |
| 4 | Neymar Jr | Al-Hilal | $120m | $280m |
| 5 | Kylian Mbappé | Real Madrid | $110m | $220m |
The Saudi Effect and the Future of Football Wealth
Three of the top 5 play in Saudi Arabia, where tax-free salaries have rewritten the financial rulebook. Ronaldo’s arrival in 2023 opened the floodgates — Benzema, Neymar, Kanté, Mané, and dozens more followed. Forbes predicts by 2027, five of the top 10 highest-paid players will be in the Saudi Pro League.
Meanwhile, Messi’s Apple/MLS partnership shows a new model: league-wide deals that can rival club wages. Young stars like Mbappé and Haaland are already signing lifetime endorsement deals worth hundreds of millions before age 25.
Conclusion
The richest 5 footballers in 2025 are a mix of Saudi cash, MLS partnership deals, and lifetime endorsements. Ronaldo sits alone at the top — but the gap is closing. The era of the billionaire footballer is here, and it’s only getting bigger.
Who’s your pick for the richest footballer by 2030? Drop your take in the comments — I reply to every one!
Disclaimer: Earnings from Forbes, November 2025. See our Privacy Policy for details.
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