Cristiano Ronaldo has addressed the swirling rumors regarding his financial status during a recent interview with Piers Morgan, as he approaches the milestone of 1,000 career goals. Currently recognized as the all-time leading scorer in football, Ronaldo has surpassed 950 goals for both club and country.
In his latest match for Al-Nassr, Ronaldo scored twice, including a critical penalty during second-half stoppage time, helping his team maintain their perfect record this season with seven consecutive victories. With a recent contract extension, Ronaldo is set to play for Al-Nassr until 2027, when he will be 42 years old.
Although he has not participated in one of Europe’s top five leagues since his departure from Manchester United amid controversy, his sustained excellence showcases his impressive longevity in the sport. This interview marks another engagement between Ronaldo and Morgan, following their headline-making conversation in 2022 where Ronaldo openly expressed his lack of respect for Manchester United’s then-manager Erik ten Hag and criticized several former teammates.
Ahead of the release of the full interview on November 4, Ronaldo shared a teaser on his X account that counters speculation about him becoming a billionaire. In the trailer, Morgan mentions that Ronaldo became a billionaire last week, to which Ronaldo firmly replied, “It’s not true.”
Recent reports had suggested that Ronaldo might be the first footballer to achieve billionaire status, with the Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimating his net worth at $1.4 billion (£1.04 billion), placing him among a select group of billionaire athletes including Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Tiger Woods.
Ronaldo’s wealth is attributed not only to his impressive earnings from his football contracts, which include substantial deals with Al-Nassr, but also his commercial endorsements. Having been partnered with Nike for over a decade, he generates approximately $18 million (£13.4 million) annually from that sponsorship alone.
Despite Ronaldo’s denial of reaching billionaire status, it is evident that his successful career has allowed him to accumulate considerable wealth and remain a prominent figure in both the world of sports and business. His ongoing achievements on the pitch continue to inspire both fans and aspiring athletes globally.