Cristiano Ronaldo’s legacy as a footballer is simply unparalleled, with the Portuguese superstar’s performances on the field cementing his status as one of the highest-earning athletes in the world.
The Manchester United star might be Forbes’ third-highest paid athlete in the world in 2022 with yearly earnings of around USD 115 million. Furthermore, his popularity on and off the field has seen him stand out as the most followed athlete on social media platform Instagram.
Ronaldo has 445 million followers on Instagram, the second-most on the photo-sharing platform. Only Instagram’s official page on the platform has more followers, 510 million, than the footballer.
In 2021, Cristiano Ronaldo became the first individual in the world to reach 500 million followers across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And as of May 2022, the count has risen to 690 million.
The 37-year-old striker reportedly earned USD 60 million from on-field performances between May 1, 2021 to May 1, 2022 and USD 55 million from off-field endorsements during the same window.
Only football rival Lionel Messi (USD 130 million) and NBA star LeBron James (USD 121.2 million) earned more than CR7.
What is Cristiano Ronaldo’s net worth?
Cristiano Ronaldo’s net worth is estimated at USD 500 million in 2022. This mainly comprises his salary contracts, his major endorsements and investments in select businesses besides his own brand - CR7.
Ronaldo’s biggest endorsement deal is his lifetime contract with Nike. The Portugal captain signed the long-term deal with the sports brand worth USD 1 billion in 2016 and an USD 100 million signing-on bonus.
CR7’s other clientele includes Armani, Tag Heuer, Egyptian Steel, Herbalife, Italia Independent, Clear, PokerStars, Castrol, LiveScore, MEO, ZujuGP, Uniecampus and Therabody.
Besides being a footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo has already proved himself as a successful businessman. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner operates his own clothing and fragrance lines, gyms and hotels under the CR7 brand.
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Ronaldo is also known for his philanthropic work. He recently joined hands with Nike to restore an old football pitch in his hometown of Funchal. In the same year, the Portuguese superstar funded 24 scholarships to the eCampus Universita.
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What is Cristiano Ronaldo’s salary?
Cristiano Ronaldo earns USD 36 million a year at Manchester United, with around USD 690,000 as his weekly wage. The figure excludes performance bonuses.
CR7 registered 24 goals and three assists in 39 games across all competitions in 2021-22 and is expected to continue the form under new manager Erik ten Hag in the upcoming 2022-23 campaign.
What are Cristiano Ronaldo’s achievements?
Cristiano Ronaldo is a five-time Ballon d’Or winner and the record goalscorer in football history (807), international football (115), UEFA Champions League (140) and European championships (14).
At club level, CR7’s most recognisable achievement is being Real Madrid’s all-time top scorer with 450 goals and winning five Champions League titles (four with Real Madrid, one with Manchester United).
Ronaldo has 32 career trophies at the senior level, including winning the European championship and the Nations League with Portugal.
Author: William Paul
Featured photo: AFP / PAUL ELLIS
