Cristiano Ronaldo has broken another record after earning more than twice as much as Lionel Messi in the last year and topping Forbes’ football list.
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Top 10 highest earners in football revealedCR7 leads the way by some distanceSaudi dominates ahead of Premier LeagueFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱GettyWHAT HAPPENED?
It has been revealed that the Portuguese superstar pulled in £218 million ($285) over the course of the last 12 months – with that healthy return placing him at the top of a highest-earning chart by quite some distance. Ronaldo’s financial figures have soared over the course of the last 10 years, since topping the charts in 2014 with earnings of £55m ($73m).
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Ronaldo’s stunning £170m ($220m) contract at Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr helps him to lead the way, while also generating £49m ($65m) from commercial deals. His haul of £218m sees the evergreen 39-year-old break his own record when it comes to annual earnings – which had stood at £199m ($260m) and only former boxing world champion Floyd Mayweather can claim to have earned more in a 12-month period.
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Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi sits a long way back on his eternal rival in second place on the list, with the Argentine icon bringing in £103m ($135m). The Inter Miami playmaker does top the charts when it comes to off-field ventures, as they earned him £57m ($75m) across the last 12 months.
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It comes as no surprise to find that Saudi-based players dominate the chart, with Brazilian forward Neymar (£84m/$110m), French striker Karim Benzema (£79m/$104m) and Senegalese winger Sadio Mane (£40m/$52m) – who ply their trade for Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassr respectively – all in the top 10.