Ronaldo Net Worth (Money & Salary)
Title: Ronaldo Net Worth (Money & Salary)
Last Updated: February 5, 2025
What is Ronaldo’s Net Worth and Salary?
Ronaldo, a retired Brazilian football player, boasts a net worth of $160 million. Nicknamed “R9” or “O Fenomeno” (The Phenomenon), he made a significant impact and accumulated substantial wealth during his relatively brief career in football. A prolific goalscorer, Ronaldo led Brazil to an unforgettable World Cup victory in 2002 and is often credited with transforming the playing style of strikers. At the height of his career, he was regarded as the best player globally, and he remains one of the all-time greats.
He has won the FIFA World Player of the Year award three times and has twice claimed the Balon d’Or award. Remarkably, he holds the record for being the youngest player to receive the Balon d’Or, achieving this at the age of 21. Additionally, he was the youngest recipient of the FIFA World Player of the Year award at 20. Clubs were eager to invest huge sums in securing Ronaldo’s talent, leading him to surpass world record transfer fees on two occasions.
Regarding goal-scoring, he ranks among the highest-scoring players in history, having netted 62 goals for Brazil, a record only surpassed by Pele. By the age of 23, Ronaldo had already reached 200 goals in total for club and country. However, his career took an unfortunate turn due to serious injuries that abruptly curtailed his time in the sport. In what felt like no time, he vanished from the football scene just as swiftly as he had entered it.
Post-retirement, Ronaldo became heavily involved in charitable endeavors, serving as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme. He also functioned as an ambassador for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. In 2018, he acquired a team in the Spanish La Liga named Real Valladolid, followed by a controlling interest in Cruzeiro in 2021.
Early Life
Born on September 18, 1976, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Ronaldo Luiz Nazario de Lima grew up with two siblings. From an early age, he played soccer on the streets of Rio. After his parents’ divorce when he was 11, he left school to chase a professional soccer career. Starting out as a futsal player (indoor soccer), he quickly became the leading scorer in his youth league, netting an impressive 166 goals in his inaugural season. Futsal played a crucial role in developing Ronaldo’s technical skills and close ball control, which would become defining features of his later career. His talent was soon recognized, leading to interest from sports agents.
Career
Ronaldo began his professional journey with Brazilian club Cruzeiro in 1993. At just 16, he scored five goals in a single match, catching the eye of international scouts. Following a stellar debut season in which he tallied 44 goals in 47 appearances, he earned a place in Brazil’s World Cup squad in 1994, although he did not play in any matches.
Subsequently, Ronaldo transferred to Dutch team PSV Eindhoven. There, he netted 30 goals during his first season, raising questions about whether he could potentially become the greatest player of all time at just 18. Unfortunately, a knee injury hampered his second season at PSV. Before the 1996-1997 season, Ronaldo signed with Barcelona for a world-record fee of $19.5 million, where he dazzled with 47 goals across all competitions in his debut season, culminating in his first FIFA World Player of the Year Award in 1996.
After a single season at Barcelona, he transitioned to Inter Milan, once again making headlines by breaking the transfer record with a fee of $27 million. Although he faced challenges adapting to the Italian playing style during his first season, Ronaldo eventually evolved into a more complete striker.
During his time at Inter, he achieved his first Ballon d’Or.
Entering the 1998 FIFA World Cup as Brazil’s starting striker, Ronaldo was widely regarded as the top player in the world. Throughout the tournament, he consistently found the back of the net until a convulsive fit almost sidelined him from the final match. Remarkably, he made a recovery mere hours before the game commenced, yet he appeared disoriented, leading to Brazil’s defeat against France. A neurologist later concluded that Ronaldo should not have participated while experiencing the aftereffects of a seizure.
Following those years, serious complications with his knees began to plague Ronaldo. In 2000, he experienced a complete rupture of his kneecap tendons, causing him to sit out almost three years of professional play. However, he made a comeback in 2002, contributing to Brazil’s World Cup victory. That same year, he sealed a 46 million Euro deal with Real Madrid. While he played a crucial role for Real, Ronaldo struggled with persistent injuries and weight problems throughout his tenure in Madrid.
(Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
After appearing for Brazil in the 2006 World Cup, Ronaldo transferred to A.C. Milan in 2007 for 8.05 million Euros. Unfortunately, in 2008, he sustained another significant knee injury and subsequently joined Brazilian club Corinthians. He officially retired in 2011, disclosing for the first time that he was battling hyperthyroidism, which accounted for his weight gain struggles. Additionally, he acknowledged that his body could no longer withstand further injuries, despite his mental desire to continue. His illustrious football career spanned 18 years.
Nike Contract
Ronaldo quickly secured a lucrative deal with Nike. In 1996, he entered into a 10-year contract along with a lifetime brand endorsement agreement worth $180 million. Shortly after, Nike designed the iconic Mercurial R9 soccer boot specifically for him, which he wore during the 1998 FIFA World Cup, leading to its status as one of Nike’s most successful boots. Over the years, similar models have been created for players such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe. Ronaldo also starred in numerous Nike advertisements throughout his career.
Other Brand Endorsements
In addition to his commitment to Nike, Ronaldo has featured in various commercials over the years. Some of his prominent appearances include ads for Snickers and Pirelli, as well as being a recurring figure in EA’s “FIFA” video game series.
Club Ownership
It was made public in 2018 that Ronaldo had acquired a controlling stake in the La Liga club Real Valladolid, investing approximately 30 million Euros for a 51% share, thereby becoming the majority owner. Following this acquisition, Ronaldo expressed his commitment to his new managerial position, emphasizing his goal to create “the best team possible.”
In December 2021, he also took control of his boyhood club, Cruzeiro, for 400 million reais (equivalent to $70 million at the time).
Personal Life
Ronaldo began a long-term relationship with Brazilian model and actress Susana Werner in 1997, cohabiting in Milan until 1999. In December of 1999, he married Brazilian footballer Milene Domingues, who was expecting their first son, but they divorced four years later. In 2005, he became engaged to Brazilian model and MTV VJ Daniela Cicarelli, but their engagement lasted just three months. In 2008, he got engaged to Maria Beatriz Antony, and together they welcomed two daughters. In December 2010, a paternity test verified that Ronaldo was the father of a boy named Alexander, born from a brief relationship with Brazilian waitress Michele Umezu, whom he met in Tokyo in 2002. Following the confirmation of his fourth child, Ronaldo underwent a vasectomy.
Ronaldo Net Worth (Money & Salary)
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Data is from 2023 and 2024 and forecast data is for 2025 and 2026. We also expand the forecast data to 2027 and 2028.
* This information was taken from various sources around the world, including these countries:
Australia, Canada, USA, UK, UAE, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Indonesia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, US, United Kingdom, United States of America, Malaysia, U.S., South Africa, New Zealand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates.
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antarctica, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan.
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Bouvet Island, Brazil, British Indian Ocean Territory, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi.
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling Islands), Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Croatia (Hrvatska), Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic.
Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Faroe Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, Metropolitan, French Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern Territories.
Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Heard and McDonald Islands, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy.
Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg.
Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar.
Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, New Zealand (NZ), Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway.
Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe.
Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Helena, St. Pierre and Miquelon, Sudan, Suriname, Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria.
Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates (UAE), UK (United Kingdom), USA (United States of America, U.S.), US Minor Outlying Islands.
Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican City State (Holy See), Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands (British), Virgin Islands (US), Wallis and Futuna Islands, Western Sahara, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Post Title: Ronaldo Net Worth (Money & Salary)
Last Updated: February 5, 2025