Cristiano Ronaldo, the first billionaire in football history
At 40, Al Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo becomes the first football player to reach the symbolic £1 billion mark, thanks to a historic new contract signed with Al Nassr.
L’attaquant d’Al Nassr, Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo has reached a historic milestone. The Al Nassr captain has become the very first footballer to reach billionaire status, thanks to a record-breaking new contract signed in Saudi Arabia.
Having arrived in the Middle East in 2013 after leaving Manchester United, the Portuguese player, now 40, initially signed with Al-Nassr an annual contract worth £173 million. But recent negotiations have pushed his earnings to an even more dizzying level.
Under the new terms, Ronaldo is set to pocket around £492 million over the next two years, thereby crossing the symbolic £1 billion mark. Bloomberg now values his fortune at $1.4 billion (or £1.045 billion), making the five-time Ballon d’Or winner a legend not only on the pitch, but also in the economic history of football.