Cristiano Ronaldo tops earnings in 2026/27 with €267 million

An earnings analysis published on 21 October 2026 places Cristiano Ronaldo as the highest-paid footballer again, with expected total earnings of €267 million for the 2026/27 season. Lionel Messi is second with €129.2 million, while Kylian Mbappé ranks third on €89.1 million.

The Portuguese forward’s projected haul is heavily weighted toward his club contract: about €222.8 million is attributed to his deal with Al Nassr, while sponsorships and other business ventures are estimated to add €44.6 million.

Messi’s breakdown follows a different pattern. For the calendar year 2026 his playing income is calculated at €62.4 million from Inter Miami, plus roughly €66.8 million from endorsements and commercial activities.

How the figures were compiled and what they include

The ten highest-paid players are estimated to earn a combined €839 million in the period analyzed, a slight decline from the prior year. Nearly half of that total goes to Ronaldo and Messi alone. The compilation includes base salaries, bonuses and—where applicable—payments for the use of players’ marketing rights; it also counts sponsorship deals, licensing, public appearances, merchandise sales and sizable ownership stakes in businesses.

These totals are reported before taxes and agent fees, and they do not include transfer fees, interest or dividends. The original calculations were made in US dollars and converted here to euros at the prevailing exchange rate. Publicly available databases, including Capology, and interviews with agents and industry figures were used as inputs.

Top 10 highest-paid players (amounts in euros):

• Cristiano Ronaldo — €267 million
• Lionel Messi — €129.2 million
• Kylian Mbappé — €89.1 million
• Erling Haaland — €75 million
• Vinícius Júnior — €67 million
• Lamine Yamal — €49 million
• Sadio Mané — €48 million
• Jude Bellingham — €40 million
• Harry Kane — €37 million
• Mohamed Salah — €35 million

Photo: AlNassr FC @AlNassrFC_EN (X)