"Who has the most" depends on what you're counting, but common answers involve sports stars like Cristiano Ronaldo (most international goals/caps in football) and Lionel Messi (most trophies in soccer), or Elon Musk (most followers on X/Twitter). In football, Ronaldo leads goals and appearances, while Messi leads trophies.
Messi, one of the world's top footballers, has an estimated net worth of around $600 million. Cristiano Ronaldo, who is equally celebrated in the football community, has a net worth estimated between $550 million and $600 million. Together, their total net worth reaches approximately $1.2 billion.
Cristiano Ronaldo is the most-followed person, sportsperson and European on Instagram. Lionel Messi is the most-followed South American on Instagram.
Messi played his 1000th game on this day in 2022 against Australia and scored a spectacular goal to help Argentina reach the world cup quarter final He delivered at the biggest stage 🐐
Cristiano Ronaldo has again been named the highest-paid player in the world, while Barcelona's phenom Lamine Yamal is on the list of the top 10, according to Forbes. The American business magazine released its annual report of the world's 10 highest earners.
Lamine Yamal among highest-paid players in 2025 in Forbes list topped by Ronaldo. Barcelona's 18-year-old winger Lamine Yamal has gate-crashed football's financial elite, landing among Forbes' top 10 highest-paid players in 2025, topped by Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo.
Yes, Cristiano Ronaldo became the first footballer to become a billionaire in late 2025, with his net worth estimated at $1.4 billion by the {Bloomberg Billionaires Index}. This milestone was reached due to his lucrative, tax-free contract with Saudi club Al-Nassr and extensive endorsements with brands like Nike, solidifying his status as a global sports and business icon.
The "GOAT" (Greatest Of All Time) in football is a subjective debate, but Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are overwhelmingly considered the top contenders, with Messi often edging out due with recent major wins like the 2022 World Cup, though Ronaldo's longevity and dominance in multiple leagues also make a strong case, with many legends and publications naming Messi as #1. Other historical greats like Pelé and Maradona are also part of the conversation.
Ten years ago today, Lionel Messi helped himself to four goals against Espanyol, taking his league tally past 50. He would finish the domestic and European season with a combined 73. We relive the season he broke all records.
🗣️ "In fact, we contacted Messi at the end of his contract in Paris." "We presented him with an offer of 💲1.5 million euros, but the player rejected it because his family wanted to live in Miami." 🗣️ "It's surprising that a player could decline an offer for the sake of his family." He managed to convince his family, ...
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates 1 billion social media followers.
Cristiano Ronaldo's running speed is one of his standout physical attributes. He has been recorded running at a top speed of around 33.6 km/h (20.9 mph) during a match. This impressive speed allows him to outpace defenders and break away on counter- attacks.
To contact Cristiano Ronaldo, you must go through his official representatives (agents and publicists) for business, appearances, or brand deals, using specialized booking agencies like Athlete Speakers or The Handbook, or contacting his brand manager. For personal messages, use his official social media platforms, as direct contact details aren't publicly shared, though fan mail might reach his team.
Yes, Nike signed Cristiano Ronaldo to a lifetime contract reportedly worth over $1 billion, making him one of only a few athletes (like LeBron James and Michael Jordan) with such a deal, which began around 2016 and pays him tens of millions annually for his ongoing endorsements and massive social media presence.
No, David Beckham is not officially a billionaire, though he and his wife Victoria Beckham are a power couple with a combined fortune around $450-$670 million (£360m-£500m), making them very wealthy but not yet billionaires individually or as a couple, despite reports suggesting he's on the track to billionaire status due to investments like Inter Miami CF.
1970's: The million dollar contract
At the time the sum was considered absurd. However, it was soon superseded by baseball player Dave Parker, who in 1978 signed a 5-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates for $5 million, making him the first professional athlete to earn $1 million per year.
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates his 800th club career goal.
Cristiano Ronaldo is 𝑺𝑻𝑰𝑳𝑳 the 𝑶𝑵𝑳𝒀 𝑷𝑳𝑨𝒀𝑬𝑹 𝑻𝑶 𝑺𝑪𝑶𝑹𝑬 𝟔𝟎+ 𝑮𝑶𝑨𝑳𝑺 𝑰𝑵 𝟒 𝑪𝑶𝑵𝑺𝑬𝑪𝑼𝑻𝑰𝑽𝑬 𝒀𝑬𝑨𝑹𝑺 in the football history☝🏽🔝
127127. Pele extraordinarily scored 127 goals for Santos in one calendar year: 1959.
15 Best Dribblers in World Soccer—Ranked
Messi will score 900th goal in 2026. Can he reach 1,000? Can he pass Ronaldo? Lionel Messi is never far from breaking his next record or hitting his next landmark, and he enters 2026 on the verge of yet another massive milestone in his incredible career: his 900th goal.
After an illustrious 23-year soccer career, Cristiano Ronaldo has cemented his legacy in the annals of the sport, etching his name alongside legendary clubs such as Manchester United and Real Madrid. He has achieved the status of one of the greatest scorers in history, prompting him to refer to himself as the GOAT.
Jay-Z is significantly richer than Cristiano Ronaldo, with recent estimates placing Jay-Z's net worth around $2.5 - $2.6 billion (as the richest musician), while Ronaldo's net worth is estimated at roughly $1.4 billion, making him the richest footballer by earnings but still trailing the music mogul.
But Ronaldo's current life of extreme wealth and fame is a far cry from his humble beginnings. He has spoken openly about living in poverty, while growing up on the island of Madeira, Portugal. “When I was a kid, 11 or 12 years old, we didn't have money,” he recalled to ITV in 2019.
Cristiano Ronaldo is generally considered richer than Lionel Messi, with recent reports placing his net worth around $1.2 to $1.4 billion compared to Messi's estimated $850 million to $1 billion, largely due to his lucrative Al-Nassr contract and extensive business ventures, making him the first footballer to officially cross the billionaire mark.