For 20 years, Cristiano Ronaldo has proved himself one of the greatest soccer players ever to step onto a field. He’s won five Ballon d’Ors, three Premier Leagues, two La Ligas, two Serie As, and five UEFA Champions Leagues.
Following his teenage years at Sporting CP in Portugal, Ronaldo has played for some of the world’s biggest clubs. Manchester United (twice), Real Madrid, and Juventus have benefited from the Portuguese striker’s outstanding dedication to fitness and goal scoring prowess.
Since 2003, he has been a fixture of the Portugal national side, scoring 123 goals in 200 games. During that time, he has captained the team 140 times and led them to UEFA European Championship victory in 2016.
As you might expect, a player who has achieved this level of success has also attracted a huge income. He has consistently earned wages in excess of $600,000 per week, doubling that to over $1,200,000 while at Juventus.
In 2023, he hit the jackpot when he signed for Al-Nassr at a salary of $4.1 million a week. Incredibly, these payments for his services only make up a fraction of Ronaldo’s incredible fortune.
Big business
In addition to his club wages, endorsements and sponsorships have formed a huge portion of Ronaldo’s total earnings. It’s believed the all-time legendary striker earns an average of almost $1 million a week from sponsorship deals.
So, which companies have chosen to spend big money to be associated with history’s most prolific goalscorer?
- Nike
The world’s biggest sportswear brand is the number-one supporter of the world’s greatest striker. Though the two have been associated since Ronaldo joined Manchester in 2003, their relationship was cemented for good in 2016.
Currently, Ronaldo is the possessor of only the third-ever lifetime deal given by Nike, after Michael Jordan and LeBron James. It’s easy to see how these brands align to celebrate sporting excellence at the most elite level.
- Herbalife
Nutrition is important for athletes, so it’s only natural for a dietary supplement brand like Herbalife to work with Ronaldo. After first partnering in 2013, the striker and Herbalife launched a sports drink using Ronaldo’s personal business brand, CR7.
While the multi-millionaire player will plan his own diet with expert nutritionists and chefs, his association will still boost Herbalife. Millions of fans and young players wanting to emulate his success will turn to the supplement makers for dietary assistance.
- PokerStars
In 2015, Ronaldo joined a growing roster of sporting stars lending their name to the online casino platform, PokerStars. Also associated with the brand are tennis legend Rafa Nadal, F1 diver Rubens Barrichello, and fellow soccer player Neymar.
At the time of the deal, Ronaldo talked openly about how he enjoyed playing poker tournaments for fun. Thanks to online providers, anyone can enjoy the same card-playing thrill as their sporting heroes.
- American Tourister
In the 21st century, few people travel more than international sports stars. Whether flying for games or for personal reasons, Ronaldo will spend a great deal of time in the air.
Recognising this, the luggage brand American Tourister signed Ronaldo as their global brand ambassador in 2018. Whether the Al-Nassr player actually uses his partner’s affordable suitcases is unclear, but they’ll definitely sell more thanks to him.
- LiveScore
In 2021, Ronaldo signed a deal for his image to feature in the delayed UEFA Euro 2020 marketing for LiveScore. The sports updates and streaming service also secured rights to use Ronaldo in their FIFA Men’s World Cup 2022 promotions.
With some of the most impressive and referred-to statistics in soccer, Ronaldo was a perfect choice for the data provider. By adding a universally recognised sporting face to its brand, LiveScore gets straight to the heart of its target market.
- TAG Heuer
In today’s world, almost every one of us has the accurate time available on our phones or constantly-used digital devices. As their products are no longer necessities, watchmakers have put increased focus on selling themselves as lifestyle and fashion brands.
Representing precision, reliability, and performance, elite athletes have proved the perfect partners for elevating the positions of these brands. In April 2014, the Swiss luxury brand TAG Heuer chose Ronaldo as the best sports star to boost their sales.
There are also many other brands who have paid huge sums to be connected with the legend that is Ronaldo. DAZN, Clear, MTG, Clear, Garena Free Fire, Louis Vuitton, and more have all sponsored the soccer player in 2023.
It suits the player, who gets paid and sees his image spread through the most prestigious channels around the world. It benefits the brands, who enjoy being associated with all the desirable qualities which mark out Ronaldo from his peers.
The only question which remains is, which global brand will choose to sponsor the record-breaking goal scorer next?
