Cristiano Ronaldo was the highest-paid sports star of 2023 according to Forbes, but how much is the Portuguese superstar actually worth?
Throughout his illustrious career, Ronaldo has excelled at leveraging his fame to generate income when he's not even on the pitch, as the Portugal captain has become a brand in his own right.
Ronaldo's wealth has benefited from his lifetime deals with Nike to his CR7-branded empire of boxers, shoes, and other items of clothing, fragrances, and gyms.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner also has a chain of hotels through the Pestana Hotel Group. Ronaldo established Pestana CR7 Lifestyle Hotels in 2016, offering a unique blend of luxury accommodation and football-themed experiences. This earned Ronaldo a reported revenue of $200 million.
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One of the reasons that makes Ronaldo so marketable is the insane influence he has to pretty much everyone in the sporting world. His now world-famous 'Siu' celebration has been imitated on the highest level of sports such as tennis, basketball, UFC, and countless others.
His move to Al Nassr in January 2023 proved to be the catalyst for a mass exodus of talent from Europe to leave for Saudi Arabia, including the likes of Neymar, Karim Benzema, and Sadio Mane.
As of 2024, Ronaldo has an estimated net worth between £500m-£600m.
In 2023 Forbes ranked Ronaldo as the highest-earning sports star of the year with an estimated revenue of $136 million, with only $46 million of that coming through his football contract.
Ronaldo is also by far the most followed man on the planet across social media, with over 622 million Instagram followers, over 122 million more than his on-pitch rival Lionel Messi.
Due to this monumental platform, it is no surprise that Ronaldo is exploiting the financial benefits with CNN reporting he is the highest earner on Instagram, earning a staggering $3.23 million per post.
Topics: Cristiano Ronaldo, Football, Net Worth
Tom Jenkins