Cristiano Ronaldo: The Third Highest-Earning Athlete in the World in 2022 Despite Sporting Decline

Despite his sporting decline, Cristiano Ronaldo was still the third highest earning athlete in the world at the end of 2022. The footballer was only surpassed by Leo Messi and LeBron James, and surpasses others such as Neymar or Stephen Curry. His annual income is estimated at $115 million (106 million euros), of which 60 million derive from his contracts as a player and another 55 million through sponsorships, according to Forbes.

The studio closed in May 2022, before the 2022 World Cup and Ronaldo I had to go to Saudi Arabia to continue his career. Collectively, the world’s ten highest-paid athletes generated $992 million. (913.6 million euros)of which 500 million are derived from sponsorship and other business of the athletes, such as the sale of merchandising or capital gains generated after selling shares in companies in which they were investors.

In it Ronaldo casea large part of their agreements derive from their strong social media community. The footballer was the first to surpass 500 million followers on Instagram and a total community that is close to 750 million across all networks. His signing by Al-Nassr left an increase of more than 8 million followers on her Instagram in just a few hours.

This strong digital presence is one of the keys that help to understand how it has maintained its success among brands in recent years. In fact, Cristiano would earn as much as Messi through sponsorship and other non-sports businesses, according to Forbes, with 55 million dollars. Contracts such as Nike, the main one, and other brands such as Herbalife, Clear Shampoo, Dazn, Altice Portugal, MTG, Unilever, LiveScore, Garena Free Fire, TAG Heuer, American Tourister and Delivery Hero stand out.

Cristiano bills as much as Leo Messi for sponsorships, 55 million annually

The last to join was Louis Vuitton, who signed Messi and Cristiano at the same time to carry out an activation before the World Cup. The brand took a photo that seemed to be iconic between the two playing chess, published on the social networks of both, with a total audience of about 1,200 million followers. Magazine Hopper HQ published that the Portuguese charged 2.34 million euros for each advertising post, for Messi’s 1.75 million.

Cristiano also launched his own brand CR7, which he has extended to lines of clothing, accessories, hotels and a chain of gyms. The latter operates in Spain through Crunch Fitness. He is also a minority partner in the Tatel restaurant chain and an ambassador in exchange for media for equity of ZujuGP, a app to be released soon to the market focused on the digital community of soccer fans.

LeBron and Federer

Solo LeBron James y Roger Federer they are above Messi and Ronaldo in non-sports income. It is due not so much to sponsorship, but to their career as investors. Among his multiple corporate operations, SpringHill and Fenway stand out, in the case of the basketball player, and the Swiss On Running, in the former tennis player, who was still active when the last ranking was made. Others, such as Tom Brady, Stephen Curry or Kevin Durant, also widely recognized for their investment facet, keep around 50 million in income off the pitch.

Cristiano is also one of the only six athletes who have managed to be Billionaires Still Working, something that even Michael Jordan did not achieve. Cristiano’s fortune is estimated at 1,240 million dollars (1,152 million euros), only surpassed by Tiger Woods, and ahead of LeBron James, Leo Messi, Roger Federer and Floyd Mayweather.

Therefore, Cristiano’s departure from top-level football does not seem to have a effect on your sponsorships. His reach through social networks, added to the values ​​transmitted by the footballer for brands and his historical trajectory are the pillars that today support their income and they will continue to do so after their retirement.

Despite his sporting decline, Cristiano Ronaldo was still the third highest earning athlete in the world at the end of 2022. The footballer was only surpassed by Leo Messi and LeBron James, and surpasses others such as Neymar or Stephen Curry. His annual income is estimated at $115 million (106 million euros), of which 60 million derive from his contracts as a player and another 55 million through sponsorships, according to Forbes.