Ronaldo salary rankings show Cristiano Ronaldo leading football’s highest earners, while Lionel Messi falls to 13th in the latest weekly wage list

Cristiano Ronaldo has retained his position as the highest-paid footballer in the world by weekly base salary, while Lionel Messi has dropped to 13th place in the latest global salary rankings released this week.

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The Ronaldo salary rankings, compiled using figures from football finance platform Capology and cited by Planet Football, show that the Al-Nassr forward earns an estimated £3.42 million per week, placing him comfortably ahead of other elite players in world football.

Former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema, now playing for Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad, ranks second with a reported weekly base salary of £2.01 million.

The latest figures highlight the growing financial influence of Saudi Arabian football, with six Saudi Pro League players featuring among the 15 highest-paid footballers in the world.

“Cristiano Ronaldo still ranks as the highest-paid player in the Saudi Pro League and world football, earning a whopping £3.4 million per week with Al-Nassr,” the report stated.

Ronaldo’s continued dominance at the top reflects both his status as one of football’s biggest global stars and the significant financial power behind Saudi Arabia’s recent investment in the sport.

Beyond Saudi Arabia, Manchester City striker Erling Haaland remains the highest-paid player in the Premier League, earning a reported £525,000 per week in base salary.

Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé ranks sixth on the list with a weekly salary of £512,992, while Vinícius Júnior and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane share ninth position, each earning £410,393 per week.

Messi, who was absent from the previous edition of the rankings, has returned in 13th place following his move to Major League Soccer side Inter Miami. The Argentine forward reportedly earns £360,876 per week in base wages.

The ranking also features several other prominent names, including Jamal Musiala, Darwin Núñez, Virgil van Dijk and Rúben Neves, reflecting the continued growth of football’s financial landscape across different leagues.

The figures represent estimated weekly base salaries only and do not include performance bonuses, signing fees, commercial agreements, image rights or endorsement income, which can significantly increase players’ overall earnings.

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The latest salary rankings underline the changing financial balance in world football, with Saudi clubs continuing to attract some of the sport’s biggest names while European giants remain home to many of the highest-paid players.