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Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi dominate the list of highest paid footballers at the moment, as published by Forbes. The two superstars of modern football are currently plying their trade away from Europe, but their impact on the beautiful game remains unmatched.
The Portuguese has opened up the doors of the Middle East to top players in the world following his move to Al-Nassr in December 2022. Meanwhile, the Argentinean has lit up the MLS since joining Inter Miami in the summer of 2023.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are in the fag end of their respective careers, but are still enjoyed superb financial benefits. The two superstars are the two best footballers in the world at the moment.
The Portuguese is at the top of the list, earning a whopping $285m per year. Of this, the 39-year-old earns $220m per-year in wages from Al-Nassr, while the rest comes from sponsorship.
The Argentinean, meanwhile, is the only MLS player in the top-ten list. Lionel Messi earns $135m in total, out of which $60m is from wages and $75m is earned from off-field sponsorships.
The list is heavily dominated by played from Saudi Arabia. Apart from Cristiano Ronaldo, Al-Hilal's Neymar ($110m), Al-Ittihad's Karim Benzema ($104m) and Al-Nassr's Sadio Mane ($52m) are also among the best paid in the world. Real Madrid duo Kylian Mbappe ($90m) and Vinicius Junior ($55m) are the only representatives from LaLiga.
The Premier League trio of Erling Haaland ($60m), Mohamed Salah ($53m), and Kevin De Bruyne ($39m) complete the list of the ten best-paid players in the world.
What's next for Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi?
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are displaying no signs of slowing down at the moment. The Portuguese has won the league in England, Spain and Italy, but has failed to guide Al-Nassr to Saudi Pro League glory so far.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has started the season well, scoring eight goals and setting up three more from nine games across competitions. Al-Nassr are curently third in the league table after six games, four points behind leaders Al-Hilal.
The Argentinean, meanwhile, has helped Inter Miami win the Supporters's Shield and is now gunning for the MLS Cup. Messi has registered 19 goals and 12 assist in 21 appearances across competitions for the Herons so far this season.
The Florida-based club will next face New England on Saturday, October 19, in the final game of the league season.
