It’s no secret that footballers earn egregious amounts of money. If you’re a top-of-the-line footballer, one year’s earnings are enough to live off of comfortably for a lifetime. Is it fair that these people have such fat paychecks for simply playing a game on a field of grass? That’s a topic for another time, but before that, let’s first see how much we’re talking about.
Of course, most of the money go to the best players in the game. When it comes to football, the top two positions are reserved for gods, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Apart from earning a hefty amount from their football salaries, they also earn through investments and brand sponsorships.
We learned all of this by taking a look at the excellent infographic created by Betting Sites which shares facts about the two players. Let’s dig in and see what else we can find.
Brand Sponsorship Deals
When it comes to branded content, Cristiano Ronaldo seems to be doing much better than his archenemy on the field, Lionel Messi. He spends a lot more time and invests more energy on social media. It would appear that this is paying off since – compared to Messi’s – his branded posts are five times more profitable.
The average amount that Lionel Messi earns by sharing one branded post is $383,200. This looks impressive, but it’s a trifle compared to the $1.6 million Ronaldo earns. This is possible because Ronaldo has a lot more interactions on his posts than Messi. Interactions are likes, comments, and shares, which matter the most when it comes to online marketing. On average, Ronaldo has 1.16 million interactions per post, whereas Messi has much less at around 300,000.
This is one of the reasons why Ronaldo is sponsored by 13 top-class brands, including Samsung, PES, Herbalife, Emirates, Nike, and more. Messi has 12, which is just one less, but it significantly affects his paycheck.
How Much Do They Earn from Football?
While famous players earn a lot of money from sponsorships, they earn much more from their football salaries. For example, Barcelona FC pays Lionel Messi $44.68 million a year to kick a ball around inside a white rectangle.
Cristiano Ronaldo was recently transferred to Juventus, so we are still unsure how much money he earns. But, while he was playing at Real Madrid, he earned just shy of $1.2 million per week. We can only assume that he is now earning even more at the number one Italian club.
Investments and Businesses Contribute as Well
Several footballers who come into a lot of money end up not knowing what to do with it. Many of them spend it on parties, alcohol, and gambling. But that’s not the case with Messi and Ronaldo. Instead, they’ve invested their money in lucrative businesses and continue to make a profit.
Messi has invested in property near his birthplace in Rosario, Argentina, helping the local community as well. He also founded the “Leo Messi Foundation,” which is a non-profit organization that aids children around the world.
Ronaldo’s list of businesses consists of two hotels, a shampoo company, facial fitness devices, CR7 blankets, and much more. In the future, all of it will probably add to their wealth even more.
