Inter Miami star Lionel Messi and Al-Nassr ace Cristiano Ronaldo have both been relishing a professional rivalry for around two decades. Time and time again, both attackers have tried to outdo each other’s individual and team achievements.
However, the long-standing rivalry between the aforesaid pair has waned a bit over the last couple of years. While the Argentine is plying his trade for Major League Soccer (MLS) club Inter Miami now, the Portuguese has been Saudi Pro League (SPL) side Al-Nassr’s talisman since January 2023.
But how do the pair compare off the pitch in 2025?
Cristiano Ronaldo Sits Above Lionel Messi in Forbes List
According to Forbes, Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest-earning athlete in 2025, having earned $275 million this year. The 40-year-old forward received $225 million from his on-field exploits while earning $50 million from his off-field endeavours.
On the other hand, Argentina captain Lionel Messi is fifth on the aforementioned list of athletes across the world. The 38-year-old attacker earned $135 million in 2025 with $60 million in on-field earnings and $75 million in off-field earnings, as per the report.
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Apart from the aforesaid duo, six other soccer players feature on Forbes’ list of 50 highest-earning athletes. Al-Ittihad’s Karim Benzema ($104 million), Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe ($90 million), and Santos’ Neymar ($76 million) are eighth, 16th, and 25th on Forbes’ list. Manchester City’s Erling Haaland ($62 million), Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior ($55 million), and Al-Nassr’s Sadio Mane ($54 million) are also on the list.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Ex-Teammate Downplays Lionel Messi’s League
Owing to their ongoing rivalry, a host of players and pundits have compared Lionel Messi’s MLS with Cristiano Ronaldo’s SPL. The latest to do so is Fenerbahce star Anderson Talisca, who played 49 games alongside the Portuguese at Al-Nassr.
“The Saudi league has never been weaker than MLS. In fact, when Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami went to Saudi Arabia and lost 6–0 and I scored three goals… it happened on my birthday. There’s no way of comparing them, both leagues are completely different. The league Messi plays in has players who play and then go to college to study; just from that, you can already see a big difference,” Talisca told Brazilian outlet Bahia (via World Soccer Talk).
The Brazilian attacking midfielder’s hat-trick came in a 6-0 friendly win in February 2024, with Otavio, Aymeric Laporte, and Mohammed Maran scoring one goal each for Al-Nassr. While the Argentine came on as a second-half substitute for Inter Miami, Ronaldo missed the game due to a muscle injury, according to ESPN.