Cristiano Ronaldo becomes football’s first billionaire after new Al Nassr contract, edging past Lionel Messi

Rajarshi has been part of Khel Now since 2022, and he covers world football.

Published at :October 8, 2025 at 2:08 PM

Modified at :October 8, 2025 at 2:08 PM

Cristiano Ronaldo of Al-Nassr Saudi Pro League

(Courtesy : Getty)

The Portuguese striker is currently the highest-paid footballer in the world.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s huge new contract with Al-Nassr has made him the first-ever billionaire in football. In 2023, the former Real Madrid and Manchester United player made a spectacular and shocking move to the Middle East.

Ronaldo signed a record-breaking £173 million-per-year contract with Al-Nassr after departing Old Trafford. However, after accepting a new contract in Saudi Arabia, he was then given even more lucrative terms.

The 40-year-old has now surpassed the billion-pound milestone and is expected to bank approximately £492 million over the following two years. According to Bloomberg, Ronaldo has now reached $1.4 billion (£1.045 billion) in net worth.

Cristiano Ronaldo dismisses that his move to Saudi Arabia was motivated by money

Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr — Cristiano Ronaldo is football’s first billionaire (Photo by Al Nassr FC/Al Nassr FC via Getty Images)

Ronaldo’s decision to relocate to Saudi Arabia has been criticised by some, who assert that financial considerations solely drove it. However, the striker has consistently supported the league, arguing that it can compete with some of the finest in Europe.

After signing his new contract, he said: “Of course, we [the Saudi Pro League] are still improving but I believe that in this moment that we are in top five [leagues in the world ] already. I still believe that we will continue to improve, and we have time and we have shown in the last two years that the league is going up all the time.”

“I am happy because I know that the league is very competitive. Only the people who have never played in Saudi, they don’t understand nothing about football say this league is not top five [in the world].”

The veteran has frequently been asked about retirement, even though he is still performing. Ronaldo stated, “I’ll be honest: I don’t see it as an obsession,” during his acceptance of an award in Portugal.

During his tenure in Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo has amassed an incredible goal total. He has made 117 appearances for Al-Nassr in all competitions, scoring 104 goals.

How much is Ronaldo making with his recent two-year deal?

He will earn a reported £492 million over the following two years.

How much is his net worth now?

It has reached $1.4 billion (£1.045 billion) in net worth.

When does his new Al-Nassr deal expire?

It will expire in 2027.

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Rajarshi Shukla

After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.