Highest paid footballers 2024: Does Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi take top spot?

The Al-Nassr superstar leads a top 10 which contains four players from the Saudi Pro League, including Neymar, Karim Benzema and Sadio Mane.

There are three high-profile Premier League representatives in the top 10, with Erling Haaland, Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne all featuring.

Unlike years gone by, there are just two La Liga players on the list, both from Spanish and European champions Real Madrid in the form of summer arrival Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr.

In a section dominated by players plying their trade in Europe or Saudi Arabia, the United States' MLS has Messi as a representative, with the World Cup winner's salary only bettered by Ronaldo.

Who are the 10 highest-paid footballers in the world in 2024?

Approaching the end of his second year in the Middle East, Ronaldo tops the list with a yearly salary of $285m, a figure that dwarves any of his footballing counterparts.

Barcelona and Argentina icon Messi is next up on $135m per year, before the top four is rounded off by Pro League duo Neymar and Benzema.

Two players who are arguably battling for the title as best current player as Ronaldo and Messi reach the end of their careers are next up, with Mbappe and Haaland sitting fifth and sixth respectively.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr): $285m (£237m)

2. Lionel Messi (Inter Miami): $135m (£112m)

3. Neymar (Al-Hilal): $110m (£91m)

4. Karim Benzema (Al Ittihad): $104m (£86m)

5. Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid): $90m (£74m)

6. Erling Haaland (Manchester City): $60m (£49m)

7. Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid): $55m (£45m)

8. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool): $53m (£44m)

9. Sadio Mane (Al-Nassr): $52m (£43m)

10. Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City): $39m (£32m)

Highest-paid footballers in the world by year

For the seventh time in the last 11 years, Manchester United and Real Madrid legend Ronaldo has been named as the highest-paid footballer in the world.

Messi sat top of the pile in three consecutive years between 2018 and 2020, whilst Mbappe momentarily stole the show whilst at Paris Saint-Germain in 2022.

2024: Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr)

2023: Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr)

2022: Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)

2021: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)

2020: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

2019: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

2018: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

2017: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

2016: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

2015: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

2014: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

How does Cristiano Ronaldo's yearly income compare to other sports stars?

Ronaldo not only sits top of the the football list, the 39-year-old is also the highest-paid athlete across all sports for 2024, according to Forbes.

However, Messi has to settle for third place in that particular list, with golfer Jon Rahm's move to LIV Golf catapulting him up to second place - another example of the growing influence of Saudi money on sport.

Neymar, Benzema and Mbappe are the other footballers to make the list, ensuring that the world's biggest sport makes up half of the top 10 when it comes to the highest-paid athletes.

Basketball is the next-best represented sport, with LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Steph Curry making the top 10, while Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson also makes the cut as the only NFL representative.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo (football): $285m (£237m)

2. Jon Rahm (golf): $218m (£168m)

3. Lionel Messi (football): $135m (£112m)

4. LeBron James (basketball): $128.2m (£98m)

5. Neymar (Al-Hilal): $110m (£91m)

6. Karim Benzema (Al Ittihad): $104m (£86m)

7. Giannis Antetokounmpo (basketball): $111m (£85m)

8. Steph Curry (basketball): $102m (£78m)

9. Lamar Jackson (American football): $100.5m (£77m)

10. Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid): $90m (£74m)