Cristiano Ronaldo becomes first footballer to reach billionaire status

Cristiano Ronaldo has become the first footballer to reach billionaire status, according to a valuation by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, which placed his net worth at about $1.04 billion. The 40-year-old Portugal captain and Al Nassr forward reached the milestone after a string of high-paying contracts, commercial deals and business ventures that have accumulated over more than two decades in the sport.

Bloomberg’s estimate draws on Ronaldo’s career earnings, endorsements and investments. His wages from club football between 2002 and 2023 are reported to exceed $410 million by some counts and $550 million by others, reflecting different methods of calculation. Ronaldo’s move to Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr in late 2022 transformed his earnings profile, with initial reports of an annual salary widely described as among the highest in the sport and a subsequent two-year contract extension said to be worth more than $400 million in total. His Al Nassr deals include a signing bonus reported at about $30 million.

Commercial partnerships have been a steady source of income. A long-term sponsorship with Nike has been variously reported at roughly $13 million to $18 million a...