Ronaldo Tops The Goal.com Rich List For Soccer’s Wealthiest Players
Cristiano Ronaldo has cemented his status as the world’s wealthiest current soccer player, according to the Goal Rich List 2015, the annual table of players’ net worth.
The Rich List, compiled by Goal.com, the world’s largest digital soccer brand, sees the Real Madrid superstar beat off the challenge from Barcelona rival Lionel Messi, with Ronaldo’s estimated wealth now running $236 million.
It is a further indicator to Ronaldo’s current standing in the game, having last season won the Champions League, a success that ultimately saw him crowned 2014 Ballon d’Or winner.
While Messi is second on the Rich List, the gap between him and Ronaldo has increased slightly over the past year, though both remain firmly ahead of the pack, with another La Liga star, Barcelona’s Neymar, the best of the rest in third place having been listed sixth just 12 months ago.
The major European leagues are well represented, though there is also a significant contingent from those who are forging new careers in the U.S., led by Brazilian superstar Kaka.
Though still playing at the highest level for club and country, Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon drops out of the Rich List Top 10, as does Arsenal great Thierry Henry having announced his retirement from the game and excluding himself from consideration.
Replacing them in the 2015 table are: Real Madrid legend Raul, now with New York Cosmos appears at eight in the Rich List, while Chelsea great Frank Lampard, currently an MFC player for 2014/15, with his contract with NYCFC starting at the end of the season, is placed at No10.
The Goal Rich List is collated by a team of analysts and takes into account all streams of revenue for active soccer players over the course of their careers.
Only current professionals are eligible with the earnings of more than 200 contenders assessed before Goal’s experts finalized their selection.
Commenting on the announcement of the Goal Rich List 2015, Graham Shaw, Editorial Director of Goal.com, said; “Ronaldo and Messi are the two best soccer players in the world currently and their fortunes now put them up with the top names in cinema and music. These levels are entirely warranted because these players are global entertainers.”
Goal Rich List 2015 – Top 20
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) – $236M
- Lionel Messi (Barcelona) – $225M
- The Neymar Family (Barcelona) – $152M
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic (PSG) – $118M
- Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) – $116M
- Kaka (Orlando City) – $108M
- Samuel Eto’o (Sampdoria) – $98M
- Raul (New York Cosmos) – $95M
- Ronaldinho (Queretaro) – $93M
- Frank Lampard (New York City) – $90M
- Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern) – $84M
- Rio Ferdinand (QPR) – $81M
- Gigi Buffon (Juventus) – $76M
- Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) – $74M
- Yaya Toure (Manchester City) – $70M
- Franck Ribery (Bayern) – $68M
- Francesco Totti (Roma) – $67M
- Gerard Pique (Barcelona) – $65M
- Sergio Aguero (Manchester City) – $65M
- John Terry (Chelsea) – $63M
Ronaldo extended his Real Madrid contract in September 2013 to earn €18.2m per year. He collected extra bonuses in 2014 for winning the Ballon d’Or and helping Real Madrid win the Champions League and the Club World Cup. His sponsorship deals contributed a further €25m to his net worth, including partnerships with Toyota, Herbalife, Emirates, Castrol, Samsung, Soccerade, Emporio Armani, Konami, Banco Espirito Santo and KFC. The most lucrative of all is his deal with Nike while his clothing line CR7 is also a money-spinner. Other investments include Museu CR7, the Seven nightclub in the Algarve, a crowd-sourced mobile app, Mobitto, and a property portfolio worth over €30m.
Messi has the largest pre-tax contract of any player in the world, and has benefited from regular renewals on improved terms under a succession of Barcelona presidents. His clean-cut image means his endorsement deals are varied and lucrative, encompassing Adidas, EA Sports, Ooredoo, Samsung, Lay’s, Audermars Piguet, Gillette, Dolce & Gabbana, Head & Shoulders, Gatorade and Pan Bimbo. His property empire is burgeoning: the jewel in the crown is ‘Azahares del Parana’, a huge complex which will house seven gated communities, a beach, a golf course and a sports complex just outside his hometown of Rosario. He recently left the board of one company, Limecu Espana, which is now worth €11.7m and is run by his brother Rodrigo.
Neymar was the face of the World Cup-hosting Brazil team in 2014, and as a result earned €37m in endorsement deals last year alone. His 12 fixed sponsors included Nike, Panasonic, Claro, foot odour-stopper Tenys-Pé, underwear brand Lupo, fizzy drink Guaraná Antarctica, Unilever, Volkswagen, Santander, Red Bull, Heliar (car batteries) and mobile app Palpiteros. His father, Neymar Snr, pocketed a €40m payout when the youngster joined Barcelona in summer 2013, a transfer that led to a tax fraud investigation. Neymar’s performances on the pitch will soon lead to more rewards, as he’s expected to sign a new contract almost doubling his €8.8m annual contract before the season ends.
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