Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have come up against the best football has had to offer over the years, and the iconic pair named their toughest adversaries.

For the third-year running, Ronaldo is the highest paid athlete in the world. The Real Madrid legend earned $275 million, over $100 million more than second-place Stephen Curry made in 2025. Ronaldo's on-field earnings amounted to $225 million while his off-field earnings amounted to $50 million, per Forbes.

Ronaldo has retained this spot and beat out athletes from all over the world, including Stephen Curry, the highest-paid NBA athlete, who made $156 million. Another interesting fac