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Fortune
Fortune
Preston Fore

Cristiano Ronaldo is soccer's first-ever billionaire: He went from begging for burgers outside McDonald's to landing a $400 million contract

Photo of Cristiano Ronaldo (Credit: Stefan Matzke - sampics/Getty Images)

Cristiano Ronaldo has long been one of soccer’s (or football’s) greatest goal-scorers, dazzling millions of fans at top European clubs including Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus—as well as the all-time top scorer for the Portuguese national team. But he also recently reached another milestone: becoming the sport’s first-ever billionaire.

Fueled by lucrative endorsements, savvy investments, and a record-breaking salary, Ronaldo’s net worth has topped $1.4 billion, according Bloomberg’s October 2025 calculation. His latest contract renewal with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr is reportedly worth more than $400 million alone—all tax-free.

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