Cristiano Ronaldo has made history yet again, not only with his football talent but also through the phenomenal finances that have followed his success on the pitch. The 40-year-old has become the first billionaire player, according to Bloomberg. His record-breaking contract at Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr has propelled him into a select group of the world’s wealthiest athletes.
Ronaldo now boasts a net worth of a cool $1.4 billion, a long way from the days when his family didn’t have money for new sneakers. He once said he played in old shoes that his brother gave him or borrowed from cousins. In a letter published via The Players’ Tribune, he recalled, “We did not have much money… I played in old sneakers that my brother gave me or borrowed from my cousins.” From a basic kit sometimes being out of reach to extending his contract with Saudi Arabian team Al-Nassr, reportedly worth more than $400 million, he has truly come a long way.
It wasn’t without substantial risk, as Ronaldo took the sports world by surprise when the Portuguese forward joined the relatively unknown Riyadh-based Al-Nassr. The move not only benefited him financially, being one of the biggest-ever contracts in football, but also re-established him as a goal machine in Saudi Arabia. He set the league’s single-season scoring record with 35 goals in 2023–24 and won a second Golden Boot in 2024–25.
The star not only enjoyed the highest average annual pay for any sportsperson but also benefited from the fact that Saudi earnings are tax-free. The father of five, in addition to his immense wealth, enjoys privileges such as an equity stake in the club and private jet access. Some may think it was the move to Saudi Arabia that changed Ronaldo’s life, but it could also be said that his arrival changed Saudi football.
His signing catalyzed a measurable surge in Al-Nassr’s global following, from about 5.2 million to over 57.5 million by March 2025, and improved Saudi Pro League brand metrics across multiple markets. The most-followed person on Instagram, with around 660 million followers, has also opened an Insparya hair clinic in Riyadh this month and called Saudi Arabia his “second home.” As one of the oldest players still active at the professional level, he is expected to retire at Al-Nassr.
It all seems fitting, as Saudi Arabia was confirmed as host for the 2034 FIFA World Cup, making Ronaldo a marquee face in the market that will stage football’s biggest event in the near future. For a boy who once played in borrowed shoes, to becoming a billionaire and the face of a footballing nation, it’s a destiny perfectly fulfilled.
