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Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sport
Amanda Langell

Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi's Earnings Revealed in Highest Paid Athletes of 2025 List

Cristiano Ronaldo headlines the top ten highest paid athletes in the world. | IMAGO/SOPA Images

No soccer players made more money than Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in 2025.

Although the next generation of superstars, including Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal and Ousmane Dembélé, have taken center stage in soccer this year, the two greatest players of all time remain the highest paid. Ronaldo and Messi, who currently play for Al-Nassr and Inter Miami respectively, each earned a staggering amount of money in 2025.

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