Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentina skipper, Lionel Messi, are leading the list of highest-paid players at the 2026 World Cup.
Ronaldo is number one on the list with estimated pre-tax and pre-agent fee earnings of $295 million over the past 12 months, according to Sportico.
This primarily comes from his contract with Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr.
The Portugal forward joined Al-Nassr in 2023, earning approximately $230 million on-field in the past season after renewing a two-year contract with the club.
It is widely believed that Ronaldo’s contract arrangement is subsidized by commercial agreements endorsed by the club.
The 41-year-old also earns approximately $65 million annually from a range of partners, including Nike and Herbalife.
Here is the list of the highest-earning players that would be competing at the 2026 World Cup:
1. Ronaldo: $295 million (On-field earnings: $230 million; Off-field earnings: $65 million)
2. Messi: $140 million (On-field earnings: $70 million; Off-field earnings: $70 million)
3. Mbappe: $100 million (On-field earnings: $70 million; Off-field earnings: $30 million)
4. Haaland: $80 million (On-field earnings: $60 million; Off-field earnings: $20 million)
5. Vinicius: $60 million (On-field earnings: $40 million; Off-field earnings: $20 million)
6. Salah: $55 million (On-field earnings: $35 million; Off-field earnings: $20 million)
7. Sadio Mane: $54 million (On-field earnings: $50 million; Off-field earnings: $4 million)
8. Mahrez: $53 million (On-field earnings: $52 million; Off-field earnings: $1 million)
9. Bellingham: $44 million (On-field earnings: $29 million; Off-field earnings)
10. Yamal: $43 million (On-field earnings: $33 million; Off-field earnings: $10 million)
11. Kane: $42 million (On-field earnings: $30 million; Off-field earnings: $12 million)
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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