Cristiano Ronaldo has toppled Lionel Messi at the top of Forbes’ list of the highest-paid footballers in the world.
Ronaldo, 36, will earn $125m this season, while Messi will earn $110 million.
Both players had made transfer moves this summer.
Ronaldo returned to his old club, Manchester United from Juventus, while Messi made the switch from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain.
Ronaldo’s Red Devils deal will see him earn £51.25m in basic salary and add-on bonuses, with the rest of his package coming from endorsements, including sponsorship.
Although Messi has a higher basic salary and bonus structure than Ronaldo – earning £54.94m per year – but he only collects £25.6m in annual sponsorship payments, compared to Ronaldo’s yearly sum of £40m.
Messi’s total earnings in Spain was £95.24m per year, reports Mail Online.
Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, Messi’s PSG team mates sit third and fourth on the earners list.
Neymar signed a new £54.95m a year contract in May, the same amount as Messi in terms of basic salary.
Mbappe has refused a new contract. The old one expires next year.
FORBES TOP TEN HIGHEST EARNERS IN FOOTBALL 2021-22
- Cristiano Ronaldo – £91.5m ($125m)
- Lionel Messi – £80.5m ($110m)
- Neymar – £69.5m ($95m)
- Kylian Mbappe – £31.5m ($43m)
- Mohamed Salah – £30m ($41m)
- Robert Lewandowski – £26m ($35m)
- Andres Iniesta – £26m ($35m)
- Paul Pogba – £25m ($34m)
- Gareth Bale – £23.5m ($32m)
- Eden Hazard – £21m ($29m)
