In June 2020, Cristiano Ronaldo became the first footballer in history to cross the billion-dollar mark. Of course he did. He’s the kind of guy who seems built for it ruthlessly disciplined, media-savvy, and constantly chasing the next peak. Whether it was Manchester, Madrid, Turin, or now Riyadh, Ronaldo turned every club move into a financial power play. And then there’s CR7 the brand. He didn’t just sell jerseys; he built a personal empire with fragrances, hotels, and enough sponsor deals to fill a suitcase.

Three months later, in September 2020, Messi hit the same milestone. No flashy announcement. No dramatic PR push. Just a calm entry into the billion-dollar bracket classic Messi. But don’t let his quiet vibe fool you. His contract with Barcelona was the most lucrative in sports history for a while. Add in Adidas, Pepsi, and that clever move to Inter Miami (which includes ownership perks), and you’ve got a blueprint for sustainable, legacy wealth. He’s been playing chess all along.

Yep. No inheritance. No business empires handed down. Just football. What’s wild is how rare that is. Athletes usually need to invest, pivot, or build side hustles to reach this level. But Ronaldo and Messi? They made it straight from the game. That’s more than a financial stat it’s a reminder that these two didn’t just dominate the sport; they changed what’s possible within it.

It raises the ceiling for what players can aspire to. Not just in goals or trophies, but in value real, tangible, life-changing value. Future generations won’t just look at Ronaldo and Messi as two guys who rewrote football history; they’ll see them as athletes who redefined what it means to succeed. And maybe, just maybe, they’ll be inspired to chase more than just silverware. Because clearly, the pitch isn’t just for scoring it’s for building empires.