Cristiano Ronaldo tops Lionel Messi, Neymar & Kylian Mbappe in football rich list after raking in an eye-popping $260 million in total earnings in 2023

Cristiano Ronaldo has topped Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe to become the richest footballer in the world in 2023.

WHAT HAPPENED? The Portugal skipper reportedly raked in a sum of $260 million (£211m/€245m) in 2023, more than that of his closest rivals Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe during the calendar year, according to Forbes.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Ronaldo earns close to $200m (£165m/€190m) in wages from his club Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, while his endorsement earnings from top brands like Nike and Jacon & Co is approximately $60m (£49m/€57m per year.

Messi’s combined earnings from his former club Paris Saint-Germain and current side Inter Miami is estimated to be around $135m (£111m/€128m). The Argentine is closely followed by his former PSG team-mates Neymar and Kylian Mbappe who earn $112m (£92m/€106m) and $110m (£90m/€104m) respectively in wages annually. The highest-earning Premier League player is Manchester City’s Erling Haaland whose net earning is $58m (£47m/€55m).

Here’s a look at the list in full:

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)

IN THREE PHOTOS:

WHAT NEXT? Ronaldo will be next seen in action for Portugal on October 16 against Bosnia and Herzegovina in a Euro 2024 qualifying game.