Ronaldo and Messi are the two greatest players of 21st century football. Obviously, with their influence on and off the field, they both have huge fortunes. So, who is richer? Let’s find out in the article below from Sporting News.
Ronaldo vs Messi: Career Beginnings
Both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo had a very challenging start to their careers. Ronaldo was just a poor unknown boy in Madeira, Portugal. Meanwhile, Messi was a weak, stunted boy with a hormone deficiency.
However, their extraordinary talent and determination turned them into world-class stars. Ronaldo started his career at Sporting CP, while Messi joined Barcelona’s La Masia academy.
Ronaldo vs Messi: Income from football contracts
Cristiano Ronaldo’s first big move was to join Manchester United. After winning three Premier League titles and one Champions League there, he moved to Real Madrid.
Having achieved all the success in Madrid, Ronaldo continued to look for a new destination, Juventus, in 2018. CR7 signed a huge contract worth 100 million euros, attracting a large number of fans to the Serie A team. However, this is not the Portuguese star’s biggest contract. Al-Nassr signed the Portuguese striker with a contract worth 200 million euros at the end of 2022.
After leaving Barca, Lionel Messi joined Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) with a huge contract worth 35 million euros/year. Currently, he is playing for Inter Miami with a contract that is not too expensive but receives countless benefits.
Ronaldo vs Messi: Sponsorship Contract
At the beginning of their careers, their club salaries were probably their only source of income. However, up to now, both football legends have their own sources of income from sponsorship contracts with major brands around the world.
Lionel Messi has deals with Pepsi, Adidas and Turkish Airlines. Meanwhile, Ronaldo is the face of many big brands such as Nike and Herbalife.
Ronaldo vs Messi: Income from media, social networks
Stars like Lionel Messi and Ronaldo have a large number of fans and followers on social networks. Among them, CR7 is the celebrity with the most followers on Instagram (650 million).
Notably, the fees for Messi and Ronaldo’s social media posts are not cheap, as both are players with great influence not only on the field but also on social media. According to some sources, Louis Vuitton had to pay 3.7 million USD to post a picture of Leo and CR7 playing chess.
Ronaldo vs Messi: Business Project
Outside of playing time, both Ronaldo and Messi have their own business projects that bring in additional income. The Portuguese player owns many restaurants, hotels, gyms, perfume brands, and owns many luxury cars and villas.
Similarly, Messi is also busy promoting his fashion brand – The Messi Store.
Ronaldo vs Messi: Real Estate Investment
According to some sources, Ronaldo’s total real estate portfolio is estimated to be around £43 million, while Lionel Messi’s is £23 million.
Ronaldo vs Messi: Investing and collecting supercars
Some news sites reported that CR7 spent a total of about 25 million USD to equip his garage. Almost every luxury car brand is available in CR7’s garage such as Rolls-Royce or Bugatti.
However, Messi is the one who has the upper hand, owning 12-15 luxury cars with a total value of approximately more than 36 million USD. Among them, the most notable car is the Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti.
Ronaldo vs Messi who is richer? Compare the net worth of Ronaldo and Messi
In 2023, Ronaldo is estimated to have a fortune of $500 million, while Messi is slightly higher at $600 million.
Ronaldo vs Messi: Charity
Both stars are very focused on charity. Specifically, during the Covid-19 pandemic, Ronaldo donated more than 1.5 million euros to Portugal. Meanwhile, Messi went to support children’s hospitals and UNICEF projects.
In conclusion, who is richer?
It is difficult to determine who is richer, because both superstars own huge assets and are enjoying the most luxurious life. If we compare the net worth, Messi is the one who is better. However, the income of both players fluctuates and changes constantly. It can be said that Ronaldo and Messi are “big rivals” of each other, not only in terms of income or in the field of expertise.
