Ronaldo overtakes Messi with new world record

Stuart Telford

• 14 Jul 2023 22:56 BST
• 3 min read

Cristiano Ronaldo earned a Guinness World Record €125 million in 2023, surpassing the €120m Lionel Messi made in 2022.

Ronaldo and Messi are career rivals who have dominated world football for a generation, winning 12 of the last 14 Ballons d'Or between them.

Whilst they spent the peak of their careers on either side of the Clasico divide with Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively, both are now winding down their careers outside of Europe's five major leagues.

READ: Ronaldo DEMANDS Al-Nassr sign his 'best friend' as Kante closes in on Saudi Pro League

Ronaldo signed for Al-Nassr in January after leaving Manchester United under a cloud, and Messi spurned the chance to join him in Saudi Arabia in signing for David Beckham's Inter Miami on expiry of his Paris Saint-Germain contract in June.

Ronaldo and Messi remain the only two players to have scored more than 800 official goals in their careers for club and country, and while Messi edged Ronaldo for titles (42 vs. 34), Ronaldo boasts more goals (838 vs. 807).

And now Ronaldo has another one over Messi.

READ: When will Lionel Messi make his Inter Miami debut?

Ronaldo the world's best-paid athlete

"For the first time since 2017 (and third time overall), Cristiano Ronaldo has topped Forbes' list of the world's highest-paid athletes, earning himself a Guinness World Records title for the highest annual earnings for an athlete in 2023," report the aforementioned.

"In the 12 months leading up to 1 May 2023 (the date by which most sports seasons are concluded), Ronaldo is estimated to have earned $136 million (£107.5 M) [€125m]."

Ronaldo's income is split between on-field and off-field earnings, earning €42m for the former and €83m in 2023.

Ronaldo has now been followed to Al-Nassr by Inter Milan's Marcelo Brozovic, while Inter Miami have secured the signature of Messi's former Barca teammate Sergio Busquets already this summer, with Jordi Alba among those expected to follow suit.