Cristiano Ronaldo notched his 25th goal Sunday in the season finale for Al-Nassr. It clinched the Golden Boot award for the second straight year in the Saudi Pro League, and the seventh time overall he has been the top goal scorer in a league.
It might also mark his final appearance in Saudi Arabia, based on a post on his social media accounts that count 940 million followers combined on Instagram, X/Twitter and Facebook. Including YouTube, his follower count tops 1 billion.
“This chapter is over. The story? Still being written. Thanks to all,” the Portuguese soccer star posted with a picture of himself in his Al-Nassr jersey.
How much Ronaldo’s Saudi stay added to his legacy is up for debate, but there is no debate about the impact it had on his bank account. No active athlete has ever made more over a two-and-a-half-year period, with Ronaldo earning an estimated $550 million in salary from Al-Nassr, in addition to his lucrative off-field game.
Ronaldo has earned at least $100 million for eight straight years, and 2025 will mark nine straight, even if he hangs up his boots for good. By Sportico’s count, he earned $1.83 billion since his pro debut for Sporting Lisbon in his home country in 2002 through the end of 2024 ($2.23 billion adjusted for inflation)—a career that’s included star turns at Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus. The tally ranks third all-time among athletes behind Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods.
Last year, he topped Sportico’s highest-paid athletes, with $260 million in earnings, including endorsements, royalties and appearances. He continues to be a popular pitchman; he works with a dozen brands, including Nike, Herbalife, Altice and Binance. The brands benefit from his status as the world’s most followed person on social media.
Ronaldo signed with Al-Nassr in December 2022 after his contract with Manchester United was terminated the prior month. His Al-Nassr contract expires in June.
He scored 99 goals in 105 games for the Saudi club. Overall, the 40-year-old has scored 936 goals for club and country, helped Portugal win the Euro 2016 title, and is a five-time winner of the Ballon d’Or award, which goes to the sport’s top player of the year.