Cristiano Ronaldo becomes first active athlete to surpass $2 billion in career earnings

Cristiano Ronaldo has become the first active athlete in history to exceed $2 billion in career earnings, according to estimates from Forbes. The Portuguese forward's financial milestone is driven by his significant contract with the Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr and extensive commercial endorsements.

Reports indicate that Ronaldo earned approximately $300 million over the past year, consisting of roughly $250 million from his club contract and $50 million from sponsorships and private business ventures. This achievement comes just six years after he became the first footballer to surpass the $1 billion mark.

Lionel Messi is also expected to approach this milestone soon. The Inter Miami star, who earned $145 million in the last year, is projected to potentially surpass the $2 billion threshold in the coming year. Other high-earning footballers mentioned include Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, Vinícius Júnior, and Lamine Yamal.