Ronaldo at 40: Al Nassr star tops 37 y/o Lionel Messi as the highest-earning footballer on Instagram
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Ronaldo at 40: Al Nassr star tops 37 y/o Lionel Messi as the highest-earning footballer on Instagram | Credits: IMAGO

Ronaldo at 40: Al Nassr star tops 37 y/o Lionel Messi as the highest-earning footballer on Instagram

David Ben 12:13 - 05.02.2025

Ronaldo is reportedly the highest-paid footballer on Instagram in 2025.

Cristiano Ronaldo remains an undisputed force in football and beyond, as the Portuguese icon officially ranks as the highest-paid footballer on Instagram in 2025. 

According to a post from Game Set & Match, the Al Nassr captain—who turns 40 today, commands a staggering $1.4 million per sponsored post, maintaining his status as the most valuable individual on Meta’s platform.

With over 648 million followers, Ronaldo is not only football’s most-followed star but also the highest-earning athlete on social media.

Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest earning footballer on Instagram | Imago

 His dominance was further solidified last year when he became the first person in history to surpass 1 billion followers across all major platforms.

His long-time rival, Lionel Messi, who turns 38 in June, follows in second place, earning $1.1 million per sponsored post. 

Lionel Messi for Argentina || Imago

The duo remains in a league of their own, as they are the only footballers who generate over $1 million per single sponsored post.

Brazilian superstar Neymar rounds up the Top 3 spots.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé has set himself apart in terms of engagement, boasting a reported 3.26% engagement rate per sponsored post, the highest among footballers on the list.

Kylian Mbappe is the most followed French athlete on Instagram | Imago

 Brazilian legend Ronaldinho sits at the bottom in this category, recording the lowest engagement rate of 0.71% per post.

Top 10 Highest-Paid Footballers on Instagram in 2025

According to Game Set & Match, here’s how the highest-earning footballers on Instagram stack up in 2025:

1, Cristiano Ronaldo – $1.4 million per sponsored post

2, Lionel Messi – $1.1 million per sponsored post

3, Neymar Jr. – $615,500 per sponsored post

4, Kylian Mbappé – $383,800 per sponsored post

5, David Beckham – $297,200 per sponsored post

6, Ronaldinho – $267,300 per sponsored post

7, Karim Benzema – $265,500 per sponsored post

8, Marcelo Vieira – $242,700 per sponsored post

9, Sergio Ramos – $234,700 per sponsored post

10, Mohamed Salah – $232,500 per sponsored post