Cristiano Ronaldo tops Forbes' list of football's highest-paid players

Forbes' 2026 ranking of football's top earners placed Cristiano Ronaldo first with estimated annual income of $300 million, more than double Lionel Messi's.

• Forbes ranked Ronaldo first, estimating his annual income at $300 million, including $250 million from Al-Nassr and $50 million from commercial deals.
• Messi placed second with $145 million, earning more than Ronaldo from off-field endorsements ($75 million to $50 million).
• Mbappé ranked third with $100 million, ahead of Haaland with $84 million and Vinícius Júnior with $76 million.
• Mohamed Salah placed tenth with about $40 million after joining Trabzonspor on a two-year contract.