Ronaldo reigns. Both on the pitch and in his paycheck

The leader of Real Madrid earns 410,000 euros per week and has just won his fourth Ballon d'Or for the best footballer in the world.

Cristiano Ronaldo led the Portuguese national team to its historic first European Championship title and Real Madrid to a Champions League triumph. Thanks to these achievements, the 31-year-old Portuguese forward has won his fourth Ballon d'Or — the award for the best footballer of the year. In the France Football poll, which included nearly 200 journalists from across the globe, Ronaldo came out ahead of Lionel Messi, with Frenchman Antoine Griezmann in third place.

This year, Ronaldo has dominated not only on the pitch but also in the rankings of the highest-paid players in the world. According to consulting company AXO Finance, the Ballon d'Or winner earns 410,000 euros per week. For context, the average Slovak would have to work for four decades to earn that much. "Ronaldo is at the peak of his career now. He probably won’t get a better contract than this," said football analyst and agent Jozef Tokos to the Economic Daily.

By claiming his fourth Ballon d’Or, Ronaldo has now surpassed legendary trio Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini, and Marco van Basten in the historical rankings. Only Lionel Messi — with five trophies — remains ahead of him. "I never imagined I’d win the Ballon d'Or four times. It’s an honor. I feel like I did when I won the first one. It’s a dream come true, and I’m happy," said Ronaldo in a pre-recorded message while accepting the award. He is currently in Japan with Real Madrid, where they are set to play Club América in the semifinals of the FIFA Club World Cup tomorrow. (...)

According to AXO Finance, 112 players worldwide earn more than 100,000 euros per week. Slovak midfielder Marek Hamsik likely just missed the cut. According to Italian media, he earns between 4 and 5 million euros annually at Napoli. "What’s striking in this ranking is the sharp rise in highly paid footballers in China. Out of the top 16 earners in the Chinese league, seven make it into the global top tier," Tokos explained. Behind Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, and Lionel Messi, the fourth highest earner is Brazilian striker Hulk, who plays for Shanghai SIPG — with a weekly salary of nearly 360,000 euros. Other well-paid players in China include Ezequiel Lavezzi, Graziano Pellè, and Asamoah Gyan. "China has become a land of unlimited opportunity for football. Clubs there can attract players with salaries they’d never get in Europe," said Tokos. Exactly a year ago, Marek Hamsik himself had to resist similar offers from China. Unlike Hulk and others, Hamsik chose sporting ambition over financial gain.