Highest-Paid Soccer Players 2026: Messi Hits A New High But Can’t Touch Ronaldo
· Yahoo Sports
This summer represented a bit of a changing of the guard on the soccer pitch, as exemplified by Spain’s winger Lamine Yamal, who hoisted the World Cup trophy at age 19 by beating Argentine legend Lionel Messi—the very man who had bathed him when he was an infant for a now-viral photoshoot in 2007.
But while Yamal is already reaping the rewards of his star turn on American soil, he and the rest of soccer’s new generation still have a long way to go to close the financial gap on Messi and his Portuguese rival Cristiano Ronaldo, two of the greatest money-making machines the sports world has ever seen.
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For the fourth consecutive season, and the 12th time in the last 13 years, Ronaldo and Messi are the world’s two highest-paid soccer players, due to haul in $300 million and $145 million, respectively, according to Forbes estimates. (French striker Kylian Mbappé, who lands at No. 3 on Forbes’ list of the top-earning soccer players this year with an estimated $100 million, made a cameo at No. 1 in 2022 thanks to a massive signing bonus he received when he extended his contract with Paris Saint-Germain, two years before he left the club for Real Madrid.)
Ronaldo, who already became the first active athlete to surpass $2 billion in career pretax income earlier this year, is set to haul in an estimated $250 million from his Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr during the 2026-27 season and another $50 million from his endorsements and other business ventures. Messi, meanwhile, is in line to cross the $2 billion earnings threshold over the next year thanks to the estimated $70 million he collects playing for MLS’s Inter Miami as well as $75 million from his endeavors off the field.
forbesThe financial figures are before taxes and agents’ fees, but Forbes estimates that both Messi and Ronaldo have accumulated enough cash to become billionaires.
The two icons are responsible for almost half of the $942 million that soccer’s ten highest-paid players are collectively expected to make this season—a total that is slightly down from 2025’s $945 million even though most of the nine players returning from that list are making more than they did a year ago.
The primary culprit is the one absence from last year’s group: Karim Benzema, who made an estimated $104 million last year but, after transferring midseason within the Saudi Pro League from Al Ittihad to Al Hilal, agreed to terminate his contract in August and is currently a free agent. Stepping into his place among the top ten this year is Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane, who qualifies for the ranking for the first time since 2023 with an estimated $42 million.
Benzema’s departure means that the list now has only two players remaining from the Saudi Pro League—Ronaldo and his Al Nassr teammate Sadio Mané, No. 7 with an estimated $54 million as he enters the final year of his contract—and opens up room in the top five for Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. alongside Mbappé and Erling Haaland, the Manchester City striker who became a fan favorite this summer as he led Norway to the World Cup quarterfinals.
Mbappé, Haaland (No. 4, $85 million) and Vinicius (No. 5, $76 million) are all either 26 or 27 years old as they jockey to take the reins from the 41-year-old Ronaldo and the 39-year-old Messi as the global faces of the sport in the coming years, but it’s possible Yamal could end up leapfrogging them. The teenage phenom, who plays his club soccer for Barcelona, is pulling in an estimated $55 million this season, up from $43 million last year, after signing new sponsorship deals with brands like American Eagle, Coca-Cola and McDonald’s.
Yamal gives the earnings list four players from Spain’s La Liga, including three Real Madrid teammates: Mbappé, Vinicius and Jude Bellingham, who ranks eighth with an estimated $45 million. The inclusion of Bellingham and Kane, who together led England to a third-place finish at the World Cup, also means that the U.K. has two players in the top ten for the first time since 2018 and that—setting aside Wales’ Gareth Bale—there are two Englishmen for the first time since 2013’s list featured David Beckham and Wayne Rooney.
But with neither Bellingham nor Kane playing club soccer in their home country, this is the first time since 2005—the debut of Forbes’ soccer top ten—that there aren’t multiple players from the Premier League in the earnings ranking. Mohamed Salah’s departure from Liverpool for Turkish club Trabzonspor over the summer leaves Haaland as the only Premier League representative.
SOCCER’S 10 HIGHEST-PAID PLAYERS 2026
#1. $300 million
Cristiano Ronaldo
Age: 41 | Club: Al Nassr | Nationality: Portugal | On-Field: $250 million • Off-Field: $50 millionFadel Senna/AFP/Getty ImagesRonaldo told Vogue in August that the 2026-27 season will “probably” be his last year of professional soccer, but he hasn’t revealed any definitive decision about when he will wrap up a legendary career that has featured 981 goals in club and international play—leaving him just 19 short of becoming the first player ever with 1,000. Three of those scores came in Portugal’s five matches at this summer’s World Cup, but the 41-year-old forward, never one to shy away from controversy, is currently provisionally suspended from the national team after abruptly leaving training camp in September amid a dispute over his playing time in the UEFA Nations League tournament. (He said in a statement on social media that he intends to compete again for his country when he is eligible to return.) In Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, Ronaldo is attempting to lead Al Nassr to a second straight championship—what would be the ninth top-flight league title of his career. Whenever he does call it quits, he has an estimated $1.2 billion net worth to keep him well fed and a robust investment portfolio to keep him busy, including equity stakes in startups like Perplexity and Whoop as well as his personal CR7 brand, which encompasses apparel, fragrances and hotels, among other products.
#2. $145 million
Lionel Messi
Age: 39 | Club: Inter Miami | Nationality: Argentina | On-Field: $70 million • Off-Field: $75 millionChris Carter/MLS/Getty ImagesAfter three years starring in Major League Soccer, Messi proved his game still translates to the game’s highest level with a dazzling eight goals at the World Cup for an Argentina team that came up just short of a second straight crown, losing in the final in extra time to Spain. Shortly after the tournament, the 39-year-old forward announced his retirement from the national team, and he played his final match for Argentina in a friendly against Benin last week. Messi remains the face of MLS, and his compensation is believed to include revenue-sharing agreements with league partners Adidas and Apple TV. His contract runs through 2028, and after he retires, he will have an option to acquire an equity stake in Inter Miami, MLS’s most valuable team at an estimated $1.35 billion. This year, bolstering a deep bench of partners that include Mastercard and Michelob, Messi unveiled endorsement deals with OpenAI and Duracell, and he recently completed his purchase of second-division Spanish soccer club Eldense, months after he bought fifth-tier Cornellà, a semipro team based in Barcelona.
#3. $100 million
Kylian Mbappé
Age: 27 | Club: Real Madrid | Nationality: France | On-Field: $70 million • Off-Field: $30 millionFederico Titone/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty ImagesMbappé’s estimated $100 million in income this year doesn’t include what might be the most impactful asset he has added in 2026. In September, the 27-year-old Real Madrid forward ended his partnership with Nike—which began in 2006 when he was an 8-year-old prodigy and was thought to be paying him upwards of $20 million per year—and elected to sign with On. Soccer insiders doubt that the cash element of the deal is much different than what Nike was offering Mbappé, but it also comes with equity in the publicly traded Swiss shoe brand. It isn’t known how much stock Mbappé was awarded, but a similar deal when the company was more unproven in 2019 helped make tennis legend Roger Federer a billionaire. On the field, Mbappé won the Golden Boot as the top scorer at this summer’s World Cup with ten goals as France finished fourth. His 22 career World Cup goals already make him the all-time leader.
#4. $85 million
Erling Haaland
Age: 26 | Club: Manchester City | Nationality: Norway | On-Field: $60 million • Off-Field: $25 millionJoe Prior/Visionhaus/Getty ImagesOne of the world’s most lethal goal scorers, Haaland led Norway on its deepest World Cup run ever and roughly doubled his Instagram follower count in the process, to 77 million, as fans fell in love with his long hair and goofy personality. (He then went viral again in August when he shaved off his blond locks.) The 26-year-old striker, who has a lucrative deal with Nike, launched new partnerships this year with U.K.-based digital bank Revolut and Chinese tea business Walovi to pad his long-term contract with Manchester City, which runs through 2034. However, the club’s future in the Premier League has become uncertain after an independent commission recently found the club guilty of widespread violations of the league’s financial rules between 2009 and 2018. City is expected to appeal the verdict, and it is unclear how severe of a punishment the league will levy against the perennial title contender, which currently sits atop the standings.
#5. $76 million
Vinicius Jr.
Age: 26 | Club: Real Madrid | Nationality: Brazil | On-Field: $48 million • Off-Field: $28 millionDiego Souto/Getty ImagesReal Madrid has been home for Vinicius since he made his debut for the club’s senior team as an 18-year-old in 2018, and he signed a new six-year contract in August to remain there until 2032. The 26-year-old winger scored at least 20 goals across all competitions in each of Real Madrid’s last five seasons, and he found the back of the net in all three of Brazil’s group-stage matches at the 2026 World Cup, although the team bowed out of the tournament in the Round of 16 and Vinicius is currently serving a four-game suspension in La Liga for pulling an opponent’s hair in a game last week. Off the field, Vinicius is a marketing force as the new face of Brazilian soccer, with longtime star Neymar nearing retirement. His 15 active partners include Fanatics, Hugo Boss and Brazilian telecom firm Vivo.
#6. $55 million
Lamine Yamal
Age: 19 | Club: Barcelona | Nationality: Spain | On-Field: $35 million • Off-Field: $20 millionIvan Terron/Europa Press/Getty ImagesYamal didn’t fill the stat sheet at the World Cup the way that some of his peers did, scoring a single goal as Spain won a series of low-scoring games, but he was a key piece in his country’s disciplined style of play as the team won its second World Cup title ever. It capped off an extraordinary year for the 19-year-old winger, who was named La Liga’s top player for 2025-26 after recording 16 goals and 12 assists to help Barcelona win the league title. Yamal is fast becoming one of the world’s most popular players, and brands are taking notice. American Eagle signed him to a five-year deal this year—its first multi-year athlete partnership—joining Yamal’s roster of a dozen sponsors.
#7. $54 million
Sadio Mané
Age: 34 | Club: Al Nassr | Nationality: Senegal | On-Field: $50 million • Off-Field: $4 millionAbdullah Ahmed/Getty ImagesMané was caught in the middle of a heated moment in the Africa Cup of Nations final in January when a penalty kick was controversially awarded to host Morocco in stoppage time. The 34-year-old winger’s Senegalese teammates stormed off the pitch in protest, and the game was halted for about 15 minutes before Mané persuaded them to return from the locker room. After Morocco missed the ensuing penalty kick, Senegal held on for a 1-0 win and its second-ever title, although it was subsequently stripped because of the protest—a decision Senegal is appealing. At the club level, Mané teamed with Cristiano Ronaldo to lead Al Nassr to its first Saudi Pro League title in seven years last season, and the two are playing out the last year of their contracts as they try to repeat at the top of the table. Mané’s endorsement portfolio isn’t as large as some other stars’, but he has a long-term deal with New Balance.
#8. $45 million
Jude Bellingham
Age: 23 | Club: Real Madrid | Nationality: England | On-Field: $29 million • Off-Field: $16 millionAntonio Villalba/Real Madrid/Getty ImagesEngland’s young attacking midfielder was one of the breakout stars of the World Cup with seven goals, including two in a Round of 16 victory over Mexico and two more in a 2-1 quarterfinal win against Norway. Although Bellingham’s current club contract runs through 2029, the 23-year-old is reportedly already in talks for a contract extension with Real Madrid that could push his pay closer to the level of his teammates Kylian Mbappé and Vinicius Jr. Off the field, Bellingham promotes Adidas’ signature Predator line of cleats, along with partnerships with fashion brands Louis Vuitton and Skims, and he recently invested in men’s grooming brand Onside.
#9. $42 million
Harry Kane
Age: 33 | Club: Bayern Munich | Nationality: England | On-Field: $29 million • Off-Field: $13 millionStefan Matzke/sampics/Getty ImagesAs England’s captain and the 2018 World Cup’s Golden Boot winner, Kane formed a dangerous one-two punch with Jude Bellingham this summer, netting four goals for the Three Lions to put his career World Cup total at 14. The 33-year-old striker, who signed with Bayern Munich in 2023 after 14 years with Tottenham Hotspur, is rumored to be close to a contract extension that would stretch until 2029, with his current deal set to expire after this season. Kane is also Skechers’ primary soccer ambassador and has an extensive list of other partners, including Crayola, Google Gemini and Oura Ring.
#10. $40 million
Mohamed Salah
Age: 34 | Club: Trabzonspor | Nationality: Egypt | On-Field: $20 million • Off-Field: $20 millionHamza Onder Kuloglu/Anadolu/Getty ImagesSalah was one of the most coveted free agents in the world this summer after his contract with Liverpool expired, with suitors reportedly ranging from MLS to the Saudi Pro League, so it came as a bit of a surprise when he chose Trabzonspor in the Turkish Super Lig. The 34-year-old winger will make around $19 million annually on a two-year contract that also guarantees him a 20% royalty on merchandise tied to Salah that the team sells. At the World Cup, Salah helped Egypt match its deepest run ever with an appearance in the Round of 16, where it let a late 2-0 lead slip away in a heartbreaking loss to Argentina. Still his home country’s most influential athlete, Salah maintains lucrative endorsement deals with Adidas, Pepsi and Vodafone.
METHODOLOGYThe Forbes ranking of the world’s highest-paid soccer players reflects on-field earnings estimates for the 2026-27 season, including base salaries, bonuses and, in some cases, club-based image rights agreements. (For Lionel Messi, who plays on MLS’s calendar-year schedule, the on-field earnings figure reflects his 2026 compensation.)
Off-field estimates reflect annual cash from endorsements, licensing, appearances and memorabilia, as well as cash returns from any businesses in which the athlete has a significant interest. In the case of certain players, such as Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, club or league sponsors are believed to subsidize their playing contracts, and that value is accounted for in the on-field estimates.
The figures are derived from publicly available databases, including Capology.com, and from conversations with industry insiders. Most asked to remain anonymous, but Forbes would like to acknowledge agent Shea Richard Soma, soccer correspondent Tancredi Palmeri and DODICI Sports Management’s Mariano Trasande.
All figures are converted to U.S. dollars using the current exchange rate. Forbes does not include investment income such as interest payments or dividends but does account for payouts from equity stakes athletes have sold. Forbes does not deduct taxes or agents’ fees. Transfer fees are excluded.
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This article was originally published on Forbes.com