For the third-year running, Ronaldo is the highest paid athlete in the world. The Real Madrid legend earned $275 million, over $100 million more than second-place Stephen Curry made in 2025. Ronaldo's on-field earnings amounted to $225 million while his off-field earnings amounted to $50 million, per Forbes.

Lionel Messi is the second-highest earner on this list ... You can argue over who is the best footballer in the world, but Cristiano Ronaldo is the world’s highest paid footballer. Ronny’s also arguably the smartest, as his earnings portfolio includes ...

Cristiano Ronaldo is still raking in the paper. The Al-Nassr forward is the highest-paid athlete in 2025, according to Brett Knight of Forbes, bringing in $275 million between his on- and off-field earnings.