Cristiano Ronaldo Net Worth: Soccer Superstar's Endorsements, Sponsorships Include Nike, Coca-Cola, Samsung
Since his big break in the early 2000s, Cristiano Ronaldo had solidified himself as a household name in world football. He may be showing signs of decline in the field due to his age, but the 31-year-old superstar had proved a lot in his years with Manchester United, Real Madrid and the Portuguese National Team.
Ronaldo was a former FIFA World Player of the Year, and when the award was renamed into the FIFA Ballon d'Or, he won it twice. He had also broken the 50-goal record six times playing for Real Madrid, and won championships in the UEFA Champions' League and the Spanish La Liga.
Perhaps one of the most prominent successes of the Portuguese star, however, is the wealth he amassed through his skill and popularity—this year reaching a net worth of $375 million.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
The most expensive athlete
This year, Ronaldo was declared the world's highest-paid athlete by Forbes magazine, garnering a total of $88 million earnings. Most of his earnings come from his salary with Real Madrid, amounting to $56 million a year. This whopping number also prompted Forbes to name him the 4th highest-paid celebrity.
Indeed, he is a celebrity. Ronaldo has 250 million followers across social media platforms Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. According to social media tracker Hookit, Ronaldo posted 255 times online promoting brands that can afford his services. His efforts generated up to $176 million in media value.
It is no wonder he became the face of world-renowned companies. He gets the biggest chunk of his endorsement pay from Nike, with which he signed a deal worth $13 million a year until 2020. As part of the deal, Nike launched its Mercurial Superfly CR7 special edition shoe prior to the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The brand is also setting up a five-year $64 million offer for Ronaldo upon his original contract's expiry.
Furthermore, companies such as KFC and Armani gave the marketable athlete hefty contracts as well. Ronaldo signed with KFC in 2013, with his deal set to expire this year. He may be looking at an extension, though, as the fast food chain had recorded a major increase in sales following his advertisements.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo also replaced his former Manchester United teammate David Beckham as the face of Armani, endorsing their jeans and underwear lines for £1 million a year until 2019.
With other big brands such as Coca-Cola, Tag Heuer and Emirates pitching in, Ronaldo's endorsements earned him $32 million this year alone.
Riding in style
Ronaldo is not exactly shy of his huge net worth. On his Instagram page, Ronaldo boasted his £1.7-million Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport, which reaches 255 mph at top speed. In addition, Ronaldo's choice is one of only 450 models made.
The car joins his roster of luxury vehicles, which already includes names such as Rolls Royce and Lamborghini. The top-tier performance of his cars, however, only encourages Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane to expect more of Ronaldo in their ongoing La Liga season.
Ronaldo and Real Madrid are set to next face Osasuna at home stadium Santiago Bernabeu on September 10.
