Cristiano Ronaldo, after earning 105 million dollars last year, just became the first football’s billionaire. Not even a football legend like David Beckham was able to score this goal, concluding his career with a 500 million dollars worth of earnings, half of them gained from sponsorships. Ronaldo’s best contract deal comes from Nike, that since 2016 pays him 20 million dollars per year, and will continue to do so for the rest of his life (a clause already used for sports icons such as Micheal Jordan and LeBron James). Other “minor” sponsors are Clear, Herbalife and the pharmaceutical house, Abbott that altogether brings 45 million dollars per year in his pockets. According to Forbes, a quarter of his yearly entries comes directly from his society, Ronaldo Inc. that owns a lingerie company, a shoe brand, a jeans brand and a hotel.
Of course, people couldn’t help but compare him with his football antagonist Lionel Messi that, because he started to play in the Serie A three years after Ronaldo, “only” gained 605 million dollars. Even if both of them, already won so many times, both as individual players and with their teams, there is no doubt who better profit out of his image outside of the football field. Thanks to the help of his agent Jorge Mendes, Ronaldo fanbase keeps growing thanks to his charm and activities, becoming the first person to gain 220 million followers on Instagram, which makes him the most popular men in the world.
Of course, people couldn’t help but compare him with his football antagonist Lionel Messi that, because he started to play in the Serie A three years after Ronaldo, “only” gained 605 million dollars. Even if both of them, already won so many times, both as individual players and with their teams, there is no doubt who better profit out of his image outside of the football field. Thanks to the help of his agent Jorge Mendes, Ronaldo fanbase keeps growing thanks to his charm and activities, becoming the first person to gain 220 million followers on Instagram, which makes him the most popular men in the world.
Ronaldo is the third athlete that in his active career was able to gain his billionaire status, before Tiger Woods which made it in 2009 and Floyd Mayweather, that in 2017 gained the most of his earnings from his pay-per-view matches.
