Forbes: Ronaldo and Messi lead highest-paid footballers list
Three Real Madrid players have secured spots in the top ten of Forbes’ newly released list of the world’s highest-paid football earners for the 2026/2027 season, led by French forward Kylian Mbappé, according to real-france.fr.
Forbes Valuations Contrast Across Global Competitions
The latest financial data published by Forbes places Al-Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo at the very top of the global earnings list. Ronaldo and Messi occupy the top two spots for the fourth season and the twelfth time in thirteen years, with Ronaldo’s projected total earnings reaching 300 million dollars. That figure breaks down into 250 million dollars earned directly from his club and 50 million dollars generated through commercial projects and sponsorship agreements. Earlier in the year, Ronaldo became the first active athlete to cross the threshold of 2 billion dollars in pre-tax career earnings.
Lionel Messi claims the second position on the list, with Forbes estimating his total earnings at 145 million dollars. Inter Miami contributes 70 million dollars to that total through his club contract, while off-field commercial partnerships and ventures add another 75 million dollars. Messi is projected to reach 2 billion dollars in total career earnings within the coming year.
Kylian Mbappé anchors the third spot globally and stands comfortably as the highest earner within the Real Madrid squad. Real-france.fr noted that Mbappé pulls in 100 million dollars in estimated earnings, comprising 70 million dollars from his club contract and 30 million dollars from commercial avenues. This matches the projected income for the 2026/2027 campaign, though real-france.fr lists his earnings in Euros at approximately 89 million, separating the figures into 62 million on the pitch and 27 million off it.
Where the Rest of the Top Ten Fall
Manchester City forward Erling Haaland ranks fourth globally, bringing in 85 million dollars or 76 million euros, with 60 million dollars stemming from his club agreement and 25 million from commercial sources.
Real-france.fr places Vinicius fifth in the global standings with 76 million dollars (68 million euros), generated via 43 million on the pitch and 25 million away from it, while other data calculates his club salary at 48 million dollars and off-field income at 28 million dollars.
Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona takes the sixth position, standing as the sole Spanish player inside the top ten. His earnings are listed at 55 million dollars, divided between 35 million from the club and 20 million from commercial partnerships, whereas real-france.fr values his total at 49 million euros.
Sadio Mané of Al-Nassr occupies seventh place, bringing in 54 million dollars total, with 50 million originating from his club contract and 4 million from off-field activities. Jude Bellingham rounds out the Real Madrid contingent in eighth place, generating roughly 45 million dollars total, split between 29 million from his club play and 16 million from commercial streams.
Harry Kane of Bayern claims ninth place with 42 million dollars in total earnings, featuring 29 million from the club and 13 million from external ventures. Mohamed Salah of Trabzonspor completes the top ten list with 40 million dollars in total revenue, split evenly between 20 million from club compensation and 20 million from commercial endeavors.
🚨💰 Cristiano Ronaldo tops Forbes’ 2026 highest-paid footballers list for the FOURTH consecutive year, earning a record $300M, including $250M in salary at Al-Nassr.Lionel Messi ranks second with $145M, followed by Kylian Mbappé ($100M), while Lamine Yamal makes his top-10… pic.twitter.com/owSKZExWus
Outlets Use Different Valuation Models and Currencies
The published figures across outlets reflect distinct valuation models and currency conversions. Real-france.fr calculates specific player earnings in Euros—such as Mbappé at 89 million euros, Vinicius at 68 million euros, Yamal at 49 million euros, Mané at 48 million euros, Bellingham at 40 million euros, Kane at 37 million euros, and Salah at 36 million euros. Conversely, other figures present all ten positions in United States dollars, showing higher overall gross valuations for several athletes.
It is specified that all financial figures within the Forbes ranking are calculated strictly before taxes and agent commissions are deducted.