Top-Earning Footballers in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup Tournament
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, set to unfold in the United States from June 15 to July 13, is more than just a global football spectacle. With a record-breaking $1 billion prize pool, the tournament is a gold mine for the sport's highest-earning players, who stand to pocket up to $125 million.
This tournament is drawing the world's elite football talent and substantial financial investments, none more so than the following top-tier players:
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr, Saudi Arabia) – His contract includes a whopping €90 million base salary, and the rest from commercial deals, making his annual earnings a staggering €200 million.
- Lionel Messi (Inter Miami, USA) – His annual earnings are estimated at $135 million, with $60 million coming from sports earnings and $75 million from sponsorships and business ventures.
- Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid, Spain) – Estimated earnings of €50 million have followed the forward's move to Real Madrid, with performance bonuses potentially boosting his income.
- Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad, Saudi Arabia) – Unlike the others, Benzema's earnings only come from his club contract, with reports suggesting up to $100 million per year.
- Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, England) – With estimates placing his annual earnings at $53 million, the forward is a significant player for both his club and the Club World Cup.
As these football titans take the stage, their performances will be watched both for their on-field prowess and the financial impact they generate for their respective clubs.
These figures represent a combination of salaries, bonuses, and commercial/sponsorship income, highlighting the financial clout and commercial allure of the tournament's top players. Interestingly, recent reports suggest Cristiano Ronaldo may be the highest-earning overall, but this can vary depending on whether sources include all commercial income or only club salaries[3][4]. Similarly, Lionel Messi appears to lead when considering players actually participating in the tournament[1][4].
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References
[1] "Lionel Messi leads top-earning footballers in Forbes' annual list." CBS Sports. 2023. https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/lionel-messi-leads-top-earning-footballers-in-forbes-annual-list/.
[3] "Ronaldo, Messi, Mbappé, Salah: Highest-Paid Footballers at 2025 FIFA Club World Cup." Goal.com. 2025. https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/ronaldo-messi-mbappe-salah-highest-paid-footballers-fifa-club-world-cup/blt00d10bc4ab400dfc.
[4] "The FIFA Club World Cup Returns – Will It Produce More Sensational Moments?" футбол.ру. 2025. https://football.ru/articles/118885.
- The substantial financial investments in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup are not limited to the prize pool, as top-tier players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Karim Benzema, and Mohamed Salah have lucrative contracts that already surpass $100 million annually.
- The global market trends indicate that the sports sector, particularly football, is a significant financial market, with top players like Ronaldo, Messi, and Mbappé earning more from endorsements and business ventures than their base salaries.
