Cristiano Ronaldo beats Lionel Messi and earns Guinness World Records title for highest annual earnings for an athlete in 2023

Cristiano Ronaldo came in first and Lionel Messi finished second on Forbes' list of the world's highest-paid athletes of 2023. The Portugal captain earned a staggering amount of $136 million in the one-year period leading up to May 1, 2023. He thus earned the Guinness World Records title for being the highest-paid athlete.

Ronaldo made an on-field earning of $46 million. However, he earned a massive $90 million with his endeavors off the field. The Portugal captain finished atop the Forbes' list for the first time since 2017.

Cristiano Ronaldo completed a move to the Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr on December 31, 2022, as a free agent. The move saw his salary get doubled and the Portuguese legend now earns almost $75 million as his salary.

Lionel Messi, meanwhile, finished second behind Ronaldo on the list. The Argentina captain made an earning of $130 million last calendar year. His on-field and off-field earnings are split evenly at $65 million each.

Kylian Mbappe, meanwhile, earned around $120 million during the last calendar year. The lion's share of his earning came from on-field ventures as the newly-minted France captain earned $100 million with his on-field endeavors.

When Lionel Messi said Cristiano Ronaldo is on the same level as him

Lionel Messi in action

Messi and Ronaldo have been the two standout performers in world football over the last 15 years. They have broken countless records across competitions over the course of their glittering careers.

The rivalry peaked when they played in La Liga for Real Madrid and Barcelona. The Portuguese icon, however, left Los Blancos in 2018 to join Juventus. In 2019, Messi was asked to name the best players in world football after him. He said (via Juve FC):

"There are so many good players now. Neymar, Kylian Mbappé, Luis Suarez, Eden Hazard, any of them could become the best in the world."

However, Lionel Messi added:

"I didn’t include Cristiano Ronaldo in that list, because I consider him to be on the same level as me. It was fun to play against him, even if he made me suffer too. It irritated me seeing Real Madrid lift trophies."

Despite their on-field rivalry, the two superstars have rarely shied away from expressing their admiration toward one another. They have always been respectful towards their biggest rival.