Cristiano Ronaldo has been named the highest-paid player in the world once again, with Barcelona‘s young star, Lamine Yamal, making the top 10 list according to Forbes.
The esteemed American publication, unveiled its annual rankings of the globe’s top 10 soccer earners.
This ranking evaluates earnings for the 2025-26 season, considering base salaries, bonuses, and club-related image rights agreements.
At 40, Ronaldo recently signed a two-year contract with Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, which is expected to yield a total of $280 million in earnings for the upcoming year, prior to taxes and agent fees.
The captain of Portugal has stated he has no immediate plans to retire, asserting he is “still producing good things.” For the 2025-26 season, he will make $230 million from Al Nassr along with an additional $50 million in off-field income.
With over a billion followers across social media, Ronaldo leads the Forbes list for the sixth time in the past decade.
Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi is the only player from MLS to make the list, ranking a significant second to Ronaldo.
The Argentina team captain’s projected income for 2025 is $130 million, with $70 million attributed to off-field earnings. Messi, 38, has endorsement deals with major brands like Adidas, Lay’s, and Mastercard.
Yamal, who recently took over Barcelona’s legendary No. 10 shirt previously worn by Messi, is notable for being the first 18-year-old to appear on Forbes’ soccer list in the publication’s 22-year history.
The Spain international signed a decade-long contract with Barcelona in May, with expected earnings of $43 million.
Karim Benzema ranks third, as the Al-Ittihad captain is estimated to earn about $100 million on-field and around $4 million off-field.
Manchester City‘s Erling Haaland is among two players from the Premier League featured in the rankings. The Norwegian forward’s estimated earnings of $80 million, partially from a lucrative Nike endorsement, place him at fifth, while Liverpool‘s Mohamed Salah, who extended his contract this summer, sits seventh at $55 million.
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LaLiga boasts four players in the top 10, including Real Madrid‘s Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Jude Bellingham, who rank fourth ($95 million), sixth ($60 million), and ninth ($44 million), respectively.
Ronaldo’s teammate at Al Nassr, Sadio Mané, comes in at number eight with expected earnings around $54 million.
Altogether, the top 10 highest-paid players are projected to earn a staggering $945 million this season, reflecting a decline of nearly 4% from last year’s total of $983 million.
Brazilian star Neymar, who was ranked third last year, has dropped off the list after leaving Al Hilal to return to his first club, Santos.
Forbes’ Top 10 Highest-Paid Players 2025:
1. Cristiano Ronaldo – $280 million (On-field: $230 million, off-field: $50 million)
2. Lionel Messi – $130 million (On-field: $60 million, off-field: $70 million)
3. Karim Benzema – $104 million (On-field: $100 million, off-field: $4 million)
4. Kylian Mbappé – $95 million (On-field: $70 million, off-field: $25 million)
5. Erling Haaland – $80 million (On-field: $60 million, off-field: $20 million)
6. Vinícius Júnior – $60 million (On-field: $40 million, off-field: $20 million)
7. Mohamed Salah – $55 million (On-field: $35 million, off-field: $20 million)
8. Sadio Mané – $54 million (On-field: $50 million, off-field: $4 million)
9. Jude Bellingham – $44 million (On-field: $29 million, off-field: $15 million)
10. Lamine Yamal – $43 million (On-field: $33 million, off-field: $10 million)