Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi lead Forbes highest-paid player list of 2023

In 2023, Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest-paid player in the world. According to Forbes, Ronaldo has earned more than Lionel Messi and Neymar in the last 12 months. Ronaldo is also the highest-paid athlete in any sport, according to Forbes. He topped the list with a total estimated earnings of $260 million.

The deal of the Portugal striker with Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr is reported to be worth $200 million. In January 2022, he moved to the Saudi Pro League from Manchester United. According to Forbes, his endorsement portfolio, which includes Nike and Jacob & Co, is worth $60 million each year.

The 11 highest paid players in the world in 2023 according to Forbes

1. Cristiano Ronaldo – Al Nassr – $260 million
2. Lionel Messi – Inter Miami – $135 million
3. Neymar – Al Hilal – $112 million
4. Kylian Mbappé – PSG – $110 million
5. Karim Benzema – Al Ittihad – $106 million… pic.twitter.com/NrnBezTStH

— alecoria18 (@najoe2019) October 14, 2023

Lionel Messi was rated second on the list, with a total estimated earnings of $135 million, thanks to his transfer to MLS team Inter Miami. Messi is the first MLS player to make the list since David Beckham in 2012.

The Saudi Pro League has a strong presence on Forbes’ list, with four players ranking among the top 11 earners in the world. It features Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Karim Benzema, and Sadio Mané.

According to Forbes, the total revenue of the four Saudi Pro League players accounts for more than half of the $995 million earned by all 11 players on the rich list.

With total earnings of $110 million, Kylian Mbappé ranks second in the standings, only below his former Paris Saint-Germain colleague Neymar. Manchester City’s Erling Haaland was the highest paid Premier League player, earning more than Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and colleague Kevin De Bruyne combined.

Forbes’ Top 11 highest paid footballers list in 2023

1. Cristiano Ronaldo ($260m)

2. Lionel Messi ($135m)

3. Neymar ($112m)

4. Kylian Mbappé ($110m)

5. Karim Benzema ($106m)

6. Erling Haaland ($58m)

7. Mohamed Salah ($53m)

8. Sadio Mané ($52m)

9. Kevin De Bruyne ($39m)

10. Harry Kane ($36m)

11. Robert Lewandowski ($34m)

According to Forbes, the on-field earnings estimates include all prize money, salary, and bonuses received in the previous year. Off-field earnings are an estimate of sponsorship deals, appearance fees, licencing revenue, and monetary returns from enterprises they run.