Al Nassr
2025 List: Ten Biggest Earners in World Football
Cristiano Ronaldo leads Forbes 2025 ranking of the ten highest-paid footballers; key figures listed.
Forbes released its 2025 ranking Thursday of the ten highest-paid soccer players, with Cristiano Ronaldo topping the list for the sixth time in a decade. The ten players combined earn close to $1 billion, according to the estimates presented.
The youngest entrant is Lamine Yamal. Age 18, club Barcelona, Spain, he is the only player under 20 on the list. On-field earnings are listed at $33 million and off-field earnings $10 million. Yamal recently signed a new contract with Barcelona and was given the No.10 shirt. Off the pitch he signed sponsorships with Beats by Dre, adidas, Powerade and more.
Jude Bellingham appears as a new top-10 entry. Age 22, club Real Madrid, England, his on-field earnings are $29 million and off-field $15 million. Bellingham’s move to Real Madrid in 2023 yielded a Champions League and La Liga double in his first season and he was named an EA Sports FC cover star. He has missed notable time to begin the season and was absent from England’s recent camp after recovering from shoulder surgery. He has partnerships with adidas and Louis Vuitton.
Sadio Mané, age 33 at Al Nassr, Senegal, is listed with $50 million on-field and $4 million off-field. His contract is set to expire at the end of the season. Mohamed Salah, age 33 of Liverpool, Egypt, shows $35 million on-field and $20 million off-field; he helped Liverpool to a league title and helped Egypt qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
Vinícius Júnior, age 25 at Real Madrid, Brazil, has $40 million on-field and $20 million off-field. Erling Haaland, age 25 at Manchester City, Norway, is at $60 million on-field and $20 million off-field and already has 12 goals this season with a Premier League record listed in the report.
Kylian Mbappé, age 26 at Real Madrid, France, is listed with $70 million on-field and $25 million off-field. Karim Benzema, age 37 at Al-Ittihad, France, shows $100 million on-field and $4 million off-field. Lionel Messi, age 38 at Inter Miami, Argentina, has $60 million on-field and $70 million off-field. Cristiano Ronaldo, age 40 at Al Nassr, Portugal, tops the list with $230 million on-field and $50 million off-field and a noted social-media reach cited in the report.
Al Ahli
Saudi Pro League Weighs Salah and Vinicius as 2026 Recruitment Pivot
Saudi clubs targeting Mohamed Salah and Vinicius Junior as veteran departures open 2026 opportunity.
The Saudi Pro League has identified Mohamed Salah and Vinicius Junior as headline targets as the competition plans another recruitment push. League owners are positioned to capitalise on a changing roster of high-profile arrivals whose contracts begin to expire in 2026.
Salah has long featured on Saudi wishlists. Making a ‘local’ Arab star the face of the league would carry major regional significance. Interest in Salah “has been no secret in the past. But with his Liverpool future uncertain beyond this season following a difficult few months, the Telegraph has reported that Saudi interest is rising again.” Enquiries regarding the possibility of prising him away from Liverpool this month are said to have failed. The 33-year-old faces a decision in the coming months about whether to leave Anfield and, if so, whether to remain in Europe or move further afield. There is no doubt that the money on offer in Saudi Arabia cannot be rivalled anywhere else.
Vinicius Junior represents a different proposition. At 25 he is notably younger than many recent signings to the league. Contract talks with Real Madrid stalled due to a strained relationship with Xabi Alonso, and the player is reported to be seeking a salary Madrid are unwilling to meet as he seeks to re-establish alpha dog status. With his contract running until 2027 the Brazilian is approaching a career crossroad and will need to choose his next step.
The pathway for fresh investment is partly created by impending contract expiries among the first wave of arrivals. Several veteran stars at Saudi clubs are on track to become free agents in 2026, potentially freeing funds for new signings. Clubs with common ownership among the biggest domestic teams are well funded and can present competitive proposals to players and their advisers.
The dynamic is simple: a transition from an opening era of veteran imports to a new recruitment phase that targets elite talent still in their peak years. For the Saudi Pro League, Salah and Vinicius Jr are emblematic of that next phase.
United Preparing Major Midfield Overhaul with Goretzka Among Targets
Salah becomes first player with 152 goal contributions at one Premier League stadium
