Highest-Paid Soccer Players 2026: Messi Hits A New High But Can’t Touch Ronaldo

0:28This episode is brought to you by Google Chrome. She's the only person who knows the difference between teal, turquoise, and the correct company blue. But she's going on vacation. Luckily, before the company falls into design disarray, you realize you can put Kate into Canva. Save every color font and logo to a brand kit everyone can access. And Kate can vacation happily in the knowledge that no one will ever use Comic Sans. What will you Canva today? Today on Forbes, highest paid soccer players 2026. Messi hits a new high, but can't touch Ronaldo. This summer represented a bit of a changing of the guard on the soccer pitch, as exemplified by Spain's winger Lamin Yamal, who hoisted the World Cup trophy at age 19.

1:18Yamal and Spain beat Argentina and legend Lionel Messi, the very man who had bathed him when he was an infant for a now viral photo shoot in 2007. Yamal is already reaping the rewards of his star turn on American soil. But he and the rest of soccer's new generation still have a long way to go to close the financial gap on Messi and his Portuguese rival Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi and Ronaldo are two of the greatest money-making machines the sports world has ever seen. For the fourth consecutive season, and the twelfth time in the last 13 years, Ronaldo and Messi are the world's two highest-paid soccer players on the 2026 Forbes list of the top-earning soccer players.

2:04Ronaldo is due to haul in$300 million, and Messi$145 million, according to Forbes estimates. French striker Kylian Mbappe, who lands at number three with an estimated$100 million, made a cameo at number one in 2022, thanks to a massive signing bonus he received when he extended his contract with Paris Saint-Germain, two years before he left the club for Real Madrid. Ronaldo, who already became the first active athlete to surpass$2 billion in career pre-tax income earlier this year, is set to haul in an estimated$250 million from his Saudi Pro League club Al Nasser during the 2026-27 season, and another$50 million from his endorsements and other business ventures.

2:55Messi, meanwhile, is in line to cross the$2 billion earnings threshold over the next year, thanks to the estimated$70 million he collects playing for MLS's InterMiami, as well as$75 million from his endeavors off the field. The financial figures are before taxes and agents' fees, but Forbes estimates that both Messi and Ronaldo have accumulated enough cash to become billionaires. The two icons are responsible for almost half of the$942 million that soccer's 10 highest-paid players are collectively expected to make this season. A total that is slightly down from 2025's$945 million, even though most of the nine players returning from that list are making more than they did a year ago.

3:45The primary culprit is the one absence from last year's group, Karim Benzema, who made an estimated$104 million last year, but, after transferring mid-season within the Saudi Pro League from Al-Ithihad to Al-Hilal, agreed to terminate his contract in August and is currently a free agent. Stepping into his place among the top 10 this year is Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane, who qualifies for the ranking for the first time since 2023, with an estimated$42 million. Benzema's departure means that the list now has only two players remaining from the Saudi Pro League, Ronaldo and his Al Nasser teammate, Sadio Mane, who is number 7 this year with an estimated$54 million as he enters the final year of his contract.

4:34Benzema's absence on the list also opens up room in the top five for Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr., alongside Mbappe and Erling Haaland, the Manchester City striker who became a fan favorite this summer as he led Norway to the World Cup quarterfinals. Mbappe, Haaland, who ranks at number four with$85 million, and Vinicius, at number five with$76 million, are all either 26 or 27 years old as they jockey to take the reins from the 41-year-old Ronaldo and the 39-year-old Messi to be the global faces of the sport in the coming years. But it's possible Yamal could end up leapfrogging them. The teenage phenom, who plays his club soccer for Barcelona, is number six on the list, pulling in an estimated$55 million this season.

5:25That's up from$43 million last year, after he signed new sponsorship deals with brands like American Eagle, Coca-Cola, and McDonald's. Yamal gives the earnings list four players from Spain's La Liga, including three Real Madrid teammates, Mbappe, Vinicius, and Jude Bellingham, who ranks eighth with an estimated$45 million. Not mentioned so far in rounding out the top 10 is No. 10, Mohamed Salah of Egypt, with an estimated$40 million in earnings. For full coverage and to see the whole list, check out Hank Tucker's piece on Forbes.com. This is Kieran Meadows from Forbes. Thanks for tuning in.

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