As it did with LIV Golf, Saudi Arabia’s presence in the soccer world has skyrocketed earnings for the sport’s top-paid players.
According to Forbes’ annual list of the world’s highest-paid soccer players, Cristiano Ronaldo is bringing in an astounding $260 million between his on- and off-field earnings after his high-profile transfer to Saudi side Al Nassr.
That number obliterates last year’s record set by Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappé, who brought in $128 million; the French sensation falls to fourth on this year’s list with $110 million.
The Saudi Pro League features four entries in 2023 — the most of any league — with Al Nassr notching a second spot in Neymar Jr., earning $112 million.
But it’s not all about Saudi Arabia’s money: Lionel Messi’s move to Inter Miami is also paying dividends, with his unique reported contract featuring lucrative stakes with Adidas and Apple. His list-leading $70 million in off-field earnings boosts him to the second spot with $135 million.
Big-spending Manchester City of the Premier League also retains a presence in the top 10, with stars Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne coming in at 6th and 9th, respectively.
FC Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski falls just outside the top 10 with $34 million in total earnings.
Overall, the top 10 players in the world are cumulatively making $961 million — a 47.4% increase from 2022’s record of $652 million.
Here is the list of the top 10 highest-paid soccer players in the world, combining on- and off-field earnings based on Forbes’ projections.
| Rank | Player | Club | On-Field Earnings | Off-Field Earnings | Total Earnings |
| 1 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Al Nassr | $200 million | $60 million | $260 million |
| 2 | Lionel Messi | Inter Miami | $65 million | $70 million | $135 million |
| 3 | Neymar Jr. | Al Hilal | $80 million | $32 million | $112 million |
| 4 | Kylian Mbappé | Paris Saint-Germain | $90 million | $20 million | $110 million |
| 5 | Karim Benzema | Al Ittihad | $100 million | $6 million | $106 million |
| 6 | Erling Haaland | Manchester City | $46 million | $12 million | $58 million |
| 7 | Mohamed Salah | Liverpool | $35 million | $18 million | $53 million |
| 8 | Sadio Mané | Al Nassr | $48 million | $4 million | $52 million |
| 9 | Kevin De Bruyne | Manchester City | $35 million | $4 million | $39 million |
| 10 | Harry Kane | Bayern Munich | $26 million | $10 million | $36 million |
