Can you be close to retirement from football and still earn more than the biggest names in the game? Yes, if you dominated the first two decades of the 21st century. Messi and Ronaldo have long since become money-making machines, footballers who are brands in their own right, with names worth hundreds of millions of dollars a year and still generating more than virtually every player in their prime, whether they are Lamine Yamal, Mbappé, Olise, Haaland or Kane. Sportico has run the numbers, and Cristiano Ronaldo remains at the top of the list of the highest-earning players. At 41, the Portuguese earns $300 million a year, $250 million of it from his contract with Al Nassr and another $50 million from commercial ventures and sponsorships, including Nike, Panini and Whoop. CR7 is also continuing to build his empire away from the pitch, with new partnerships and investments in the streaming business.
Lionel Messi is behind him on $150 million, with $75 million coming from Inter Miami and another $75 million from sponsorships. At 39, the Argentine has just announced his retirement from international football, but his business interests away from the pitch continue to grow, with new commercial deals and entertainment projects. Kylian Mbappé is third, the only other player besides Ronaldo and Messi to clear $100 million. The Real Madrid forward earns $105 million, with $70 million coming from football and another $35 million from off-field activities. Among his latest ventures is his new partnership with On, which replaced Nike after 20 years, as well as stakes in several companies and a growing portfolio of business interests.
Erling Haaland is fourth on $85 million, with $60 million coming from Manchester City and another $25 million from commercial activities. The Norwegian’s popularity grew further during the World Cup, where he led his national team to the quarter-finals, and he has already scored seven goals in his first seven games of the season for City. Vinicius Jr. completes the top five on $67 million, with $45 million coming from football and $22 million from sponsors and other activities, while the Brazilian has just secured his future at Real Madrid until 2032. Sadio Mané is sixth on $54 million, almost all of it tied to his Al Nassr contract, although he is investing increasingly outside football: he has put more than $20 million into a major agribusiness project in his home town of Bambali, focused mainly on growing and exporting mangoes, and he also owns a majority stake in Bourges FC and several properties in Senegal.
Lamine Yamal is seventh, and at just 19 he is already estimated to have earned $47 million, with $35 million coming from football and another $12 million from sponsorships. His commercial value has risen sharply since the World Cup, and in 2026 alone he has signed deals with major brands including Google, McDonald’s, Pokémon and American Eagle, alongside existing partnerships with Adidas, Coca-Cola and Beats by Dre. Jude Bellingham follows in eighth on $45 million, including $29 million on the pitch and $16 million away from it. The Real Madrid midfielder is expected to be the next major name to renew his contract with the Spanish club, while his appeal to sponsors has continued to grow. His partners include Adidas and Lucozade, and he has also acquired a 1.2 per cent stake in Birmingham Phoenix, the English cricket franchise.
Harry Kane is ninth on $42 million, with the Bayern Munich striker earning $30 million from football and another $12 million from commercial activities. After finally filling his trophy cabinet with five honours in Germany, including the Bundesliga, cup and Super Cup, Kane is now looking ahead, with his current contract due to expire in 2027. Mohamed Salah completes the top 10 on $40 million, earning $20 million from football and the same amount away from it. His move to Trabzonspor puts him tenth in the rankings, although his deal with the Turkish club could eventually take his earnings considerably higher, thanks to performance-related bonuses and, above all, a 20 per cent share of merchandise sales tied to his image. Salah has made a strong start on the pitch too, with seven goals and two assists in his first six games, while his impact in Turkey has already gone beyond football, turning a simple photograph taken on a rock in the Turkish highlands into a genuine tourist attraction.