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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

STORYGloria Fung
Cristiano Ronaldo (left) and Lionel Messi are among the world’s wealthiest athletes. Photos: @cristiano, @leomessi/Instagram
Cristiano Ronaldo (left) and Lionel Messi are among the world’s wealthiest athletes. Photos: @cristiano, @leomessi/Instagram
Fame and celebrity

  • 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?

Football fans recently descended on Hong Kong for a hotly anticipated friendly match between the city’s team and Inter Miami CF, on February 4 … only to be sorely disappointed when the latter’s star player, Lionel Messi, spent the game sitting on the sidelines.

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.

Both wildly successful, Messi and Ronaldo are said to have signed some of the most lucrative contracts and endorsement deals in sports history … And with impressive wealth comes a palate for a luxurious lifestyle.
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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 …

Lionel Messi (left) and Cristiano Ronaldo have some of the most lucrative deals in the history of football. Photos: @leomessi, @cristiano/Instagram
Lionel Messi (left) and Cristiano Ronaldo have some of the most lucrative deals in the history of football. Photos: @leomessi, @cristiano/Instagram

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.

Lionel Messi has a lifetime deal with Adidas. Photo: @leomessi/Instagram
Lionel Messi has a lifetime deal with Adidas. Photo: @leomessi/Instagram

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.

Cristiano Ronaldo gets US$200 million a year from Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr. Photo: @cristiano/Instagram
Cristiano Ronaldo gets US$200 million a year from Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr. Photo: @cristiano/Instagram
Meanwhile, Ronaldo’s contract with Nike brings in US$24 million a year, per Essentially Sports. The Portuguese native has various endorsement partnerships, including direct-selling health food and supplement company Herbalife, and cryptocurrency platform Binance. He owns the apparel brand CR7, reportedly estimated to be worth US$500 million. Ronaldo is also said to be getting US$200 million yearly for his contract with Saudi team Al Nassr, per Marca.