Cristiano Ronaldo breaks record of world’s highest-paid athletes

By Mitchell Uzorka 

For the first time since 2017 (and third time overall), Cristiano Ronaldo has topped Forbes’ list of the world’s highest-paid athletes, earning himself a Guinness World Records title for the highest annual earnings for an athlete in 2023.

Ronaldo takes the title from Messi, who was the highest-paid athlete of 2022 with an estimated $130 million (£103 M).

Ronaldo’s record-breaking income is comprised of $46 million (£35 M) in on-field earnings and $90 million (£68.5 M) in off-field earnings.

However, his on-field earnings are dwarfed by his off-field earnings. In addition to his lifetime contract with Nike, Ronaldo also makes money through his CR7-branded merchandise.