Messi vs. Ronaldo: How Their Massive Paychecks Stack Up Against the NFL, NBA, and MLB's Biggest Earners

"Mediocre soccer players are certainly overpaid," legendary former Juventus president Gianni Agnelli once remarked. "The great ones can never be paid enough."

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are without question the two finest players of their era—if not any era—and have been handsomely compensated for their athletic brilliance throughout their careers. Even at this late stage of their illustrious journeys, they continue to hold the top two spots among the sport's highest earners.

As Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas revealed earlier this year, Messi takes home somewhere around $70–80 million per season once all the various bonuses and incentives tied to his complex contract are factored in. In the view of the MLS Cup champions, he is "worth every penny."

Whether any human being's contributions are truly worth what Ronaldo receives to find the net for Al Nassr is a debate worth having. The figurehead of the Saudi Pro League project funded by the Kingdom's Public Investment Fund pulls in $225 million annually, according to The Athletic.

That jaw-dropping figure, equivalent to over $7 every single second, comfortably cements Ronaldo's status as the highest-paid athlete in any sport worldwide. Nevertheless, several stars from America's most beloved pastimes are giving the Portuguese forward and Messi a run for their money.