Cristiano Ronaldo has long been one of football’s (or soccer’s) greatest goal-scorers, dazzling millions of fans at top European clubs including Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus. Now, he’s reached another milestone—becoming the sport’s first-ever billionaire.
Fueled by lucrative endorsements, savvy investments, and a record-breaking salary, Ronaldo’s net worth has topped $1.4 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. His latest contract renewal with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr is reportedly worth more than $400 million alone—all tax-free.
But Ronaldo’s current life of extreme wealth and fame is a far cry from his humble beginnings. He has spoken openly about living in poverty, while growing up on the island of Madeira, Portugal.
“When I was a kid, 11 or 12 years old, we didn’t have money,” he recalled to ITV in 2019. As the youngest of four with an alcoholic father, his family struggled so much financially that his mother wanted to abort him. He and his siblings would often wait outside a local McDonald’s late at night, hoping the workers might sneak them leftover Big Macs.
The 40-year-old said he’ll never forget those moments—even decades after waiting hungry outside a fast-food restaurant, now sitting atop his billion-dollar global empire.
