15/07/2023
Cristiano Ronaldo, the renowned football legend, has secured a Guinness World Records title for earning the highest annual income for an athlete in 2023, surpassing Forbes' list of the world's highest-paid athletes. This marks the third time in Ronaldo's career that he has achieved this title, with an estimated earning of $136 million in the 12 months leading up to May 1, 2023.
Ronaldo has surpassed Lionel Messi, who held the position of the highest-paid athlete in 2022 with an estimated income of $130 million. Ronaldo's record-breaking earnings consist of $46 million from on-field activities and a staggering $90 million from off-field ventures.
In January 2023, Ronaldo joined the Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, securing a lucrative contract that nearly doubled his salary to an estimated $75 million. Forbes determines athletes' earnings by gathering data from industry insiders, news reports, and salary databases.
Messi, who earned $130 million, claimed the second spot on the list, with an equal distribution of $65 million from on-field activities and $65 million from off-field ventures, as stated by the Guinness World Records blog. In comparison, Kylian Mbappé's on-field earnings of $100 million contribute significantly to his total income of $120 million.
