Cristiano Ronaldo finally settles GOAT debate after becoming a BILLIONAIRE ahead of Lionel Messi

Cristiano Ronaldo has achieved a significant financial milestone by becoming football's first official billionaire, definitively surpassing long-time rival Lionel Messi in net worth. This status is largely attributed to his unprecedented contract extension with Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr.

While headlines in June 2020 mistakenly declared Ronaldo a billionaire based on career earnings exceeding $1 billion, Celebrity Net Worth confirms he has now reached a true net worth of over $1 billion, entering the billionaire club.

Recent Forbes data shows Ronaldo retaining his position as the world's richest footballer for another consecutive year. Concurrently, Messi has slipped from 4th to 5th place on the overall Forbes rich-list, confirming Ronaldo's current financial lead over his Argentine counterpart.