Forbes Highest-Paid Soccer Players 2025 List
Key Takeaways
- Cristiano Ronaldo is the world's highest-paid soccer player for the sixth time, projected to earn $280 million in total earnings this season.
- The top ten highest-paid soccer players collectively project earnings of $945 million for the 2025-26 season.
- Ronaldo's earnings include a $230 million contract with Al Nassr and $50 million from off-field endorsements.
- Neymar and Kevin De Bruyne have dropped out of the top ten list compared to the previous season.
- Kylian Mbappé, Karim Benzema, and Erling Haaland rank second, third, and fourth, respectively, among the top earners.
Cristiano Ronaldo is projected to earn $280 million this season, making him the highest-paid soccer player for the sixth time in the last decade, largely due to his lucrative two-year contract extension with Al Nassr. His total earnings, which include $230 million from the club and $50 million from endorsements like Nike and Binance, are second only to Floyd Mayweather among athletes tracked by Forbes since 1990. The combined earnings of the top ten highest-paid soccer players are estimated at $945 million for the 2025-26 campaign, though this is slightly down from the previous year. Key figures like Neymar and Kevin De Bruyne have dropped off the top ten list, with Neymar taking a significant pay cut after leaving Al Hilal for Santos. Karim Benzema, Kylian Mbappé, and Erling Haaland round out the top five earners, highlighting the continued dominance of players in the Saudi Pro League and top European clubs.
