Lionel Messi’s and Cristiano Ronaldo’s crazy rich lives, compared: the football legends earn millions and splurge on Rolex and Patek Philippe watches, and Ferrari and Lamborghini supercars
- Football fans were sorely disappointed recently when Inter Miami CF played a friendly match against the Hong Kong Team … but Lionel Messi didn’t take to the field
- But how do his earnings stack up to the equally successful Ronaldo’s … and which car did he outbid the Al Nassr forward for?
The other footballer who might’ve commanded a similar enthusiastic turnout? Cristiano Ronaldo. The two currently top Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes in the world.
Here, we look at the two mega stars’ earning power and what they spend their millions on.
How Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo make their fortune …
Aside from the US$50 million to US$60 million contract that he reportedly has with Inter Miami CF, according to a report from Sportsnet, Messi is also one of the highest-earning athletes in the world when it comes to endorsements. His relationship with long-time sponsor Adidas began as a US$500,000-year contract over a decade ago. He has since signed a lifetime, US$25 million-a-year contract with the sports apparel brand, per Daily Star. The contract could be worth as much as one billion dollars in total, making it one of the most lucrative endorsement deals ever.
Other partnerships he was previously involved in include a limited edition timepiece with Audemars Piguet in 2012. In 2019, he partnered with an American jeweller and watchmaker Jacob & Co as a “friend of the brand”. He’s since moved on from this partnership – Ronaldo, who’s been a friend of the brand for two decades, continues to work with the brand on limited edition watches.
