Athletes

The 25 Highest-Paid Soccer Forwards

Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest-paid soccer forward by over $100 million.
Nine players from the Saudi Pro League are among the highest-paid forwards.

Jul 03, 2024 | 11:48 am

UPDATED Apr 30, 2025 | 05:04 pm

Al Nassr SC

Record revenue numbers for soccer’s top-performing clubs speak volumes to their continued global dominance. Goals draw in big crowds, and forwards are paid to score them.

The highest-paid soccer forwards also rank among the highest-paid athletes in the world.

Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest-paid soccer forward of 2025 by a long shot.

Ronaldo rakes in an astounding $228 million annually for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia’s Pro League. As one of the most recognizable faces in sports, Ronaldo earns another $60 million off the pitch in endorsements.

No other player on the list comes within $100 million of what Ronaldo brings in each year.

Second is Karim Benzema, who has a $114 million salary. Benzema plays for Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia’s Pro League. He has won the Champions League with Real Madrid five times and has been named French Player of the Year four times.

In third is Riyad Mahrez bringing in $59.5 million. Mahrez left Manchester City in 2023 for his biggest payday yet in the Saudi Pro League.

Coming in fourth is another Saudi forward, Sadio Mane, earning $45.6 million. Mane signed a two-year, $84.2 million contract in 2023 with Al Nassr.

Rounding out the top five is Barcelona forward Robert Lewandowski, who earns $38 million. Lewandowski joined the Catalonian giants in 2022, signing an extension worth $76 million.

Arabian clubs dominate the highest-paid forwards list. Four of the five highest-paid forwards play in the Saudi Pro League, and nine overall play in the list.

Ranking The Highest-Paid Soccer Forwards

Here is the entire list of the highest-paid soccer forwards of 2025. The list was compiled with data from Capology.

Updated: April 30, 2025

Rank	Player	Team	Total Compensation
1	Cristiano Ronaldo	Al Nassr	$228 million
2	Karim Benzema	Al-Ittihad	$114 million
3	Riyad Mahrez	Al-Ahli	$59.5 million
4	Sadio Mane	Al Nassr	$45.6 million
5	Robert Lewandowski	Barcelona	$38 million
6	Erling Haaland	Manchester City	$36.6 million
7	Kylian Mbappe	Real Madrid	$35.6 million
8	Ivan Toney	Al-Ahli	$29.1 million
T-9	Harry Kane	Bayern Munich	$28.5 million
T-9	Aleksandar Mitrovic	Al-Hilal	$28.5 million
T-11	Kevin De Bruyne	Manchester City	$27.9 million
T-11	Mohamed Salah	Liverpool	$27.9 million
T-13	Jude Bellingham	Real Madrid	$23.7 million
T-13	Vinicius Junior	Real Madrid	$23.7 million
15	Jhon Durán	Al Nassr	$23.3 million
16	Dušan Vlahović	Juventus	$22.2 million
17	Roberto Firmino	Al-Ahli	$21.7 million
T-18	Serge Gnabry	Bayern Munich	$21.5 million
T-18	Jamal Musiala	Bayern Munich	$21.5 million
T-20	Jack Grealish	Manchester City	$20.9 million
T-20	Bernardo Silva	Manchester City	$20.9 million
T-20	Bruno Fernandes	Manchester United	$20.9 million
23	Omar Marmoush	Manchester City	$20.6 million
T-24	Malcom	Al-Hilal	$20.5 million
T-24	Ousmane Dembélé	PSG	$20.5 million