FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - LaLiga - Rayo Vallecano v FC Barcelona - Campo de Futbol de Vallecas, Madrid, Spain - August 31, 2025 FC Barcelona's Lamine Yamal reacts REUTERS/Isabel Infantes/File Photo
(Reuters) -Barcelona's 18-year-old winger Lamine Yamal has gate-crashed football's financial elite, landing among Forbes' top 10 highest-paid players in 2025, topped by Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo tops Forbes' latest list with a staggering $280 million in earnings this year, maintaining his stranglehold on football's financial summit after the 40-year-old signed a two-year contract extension with Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr.
The Portuguese forward, who became the first footballer to reach billionaire status and had topped the world's highest-paid athletes list for three consecutive years in May, is inching closer to scoring 1,000 career goals.
His long-time rival Lionel Messi sits second at $130 million, with the 38-year-old Inter Miami forward earning the majority through off-field deals.
Messi's endorsement portfolio includes Adidas, Lay's and Mastercard, while he also launched a sports drink last year.
French striker Karim Benzema rounds out the nine-figure earners in third place at $104 million, benefiting from his move to Saudi side Al-Ittihad.
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe ($95 million) and Manchester City's Erling Haaland ($80 million) complete the top five -- two players tipped to battle for Ballon d'Or supremacy in the coming decade.
YAMAL'S METEORIC RISE
But it is teenager Yamal whose meteoric rise threatens to shake up football's established order.
The Spanish winger's breakthrough 2024-25 season saw him score 18 goals and register 25 assists across all competitions for Barcelona after helping Spain to European Championship glory.
Forbes said Yamal has bolstered his sponsor stable by adding Beats by Dre to a portfolio already featuring Adidas, Konami and Powerade, pushing his earnings to $43 million.
The youngster was rewarded with a new Barca contract until 2031 after the club swept the domestic treble of LaLiga, Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup.
He also inherited the famous number 10 shirt previously worn by Messi -- a symbolic passing of the torch.
FORBES' 10 HIGHEST-PAID SOCCER PLAYERS IN 2025
1) Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr): $280 million
2) Lionel Messi (Inter Miami): $130 million
3) Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad): $104 million
4) Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid): $95 million
5) Erling Haaland (Manchester City): $80 million
6) Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid): $60 million
7) Mohamed Salah (Liverpool): $55 million
8) Sadio Mane (Al-Nassr): $54 million
9) Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid): $44 million
10) Lamine Yamal (Barcelona): $43 million
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in BengaluruEditing by Toby Davis)
