Messi Cristiano Ronaldo net worth: Barca captain earns more than DOUBLE of Juventus ace

The Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo debate has dominated world football over the past decade or so, and the two legends continue to remain the biggest talking points on and off the field for fans. The duo competed fiercely during Ronaldo's time in Real Madrid, and the comparisons have not been drawn to a close despite his move to Italy in 2018. Messi is currently a tad bit ahead of his rival Ronaldo as far as Ballon d'Or trophies are concerned, but rhe Argentine also beats his Portuguese counterpart on the money front. So here is more information on a pertinent query - 'Is Messi richer than Cristiano Ronaldo?'

Best paid players in Europe: Is Messi richer than Cristiano Ronaldo? 

Lionel Messi's enormous wages trumps those of any in Europe and the Barcelona captain is easily the highest paid player in world football. So much so that the Argentine legend's wages are more than that of Cristiano Ronaldo and former teammate and Paris Saint-Germain superstar Neymar. The Lionel Messi salary is infact only a touch lesser than what Ronaldo, Neymar and what the Barcelona captain's teammate Antoine Griezmann earned combined. Former Barcelona and Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, is fourth on the list, having signed a bumper deal with LaLiga title challengers Atletico Madrid in the summer. 

Here's the list of top five best paid players in Europe before tax (via L'Equipe):

1. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) - €126m ($150m)
2. Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus) - €54.36m ($64.95m)
3. Neymar (PSG) - €36.7m ($43.85m)
4. Luis Suarez (Atletico Madrid) - €34.8m ($41.58m)
5.  Antoine Griezmann (Barcelona) - €34.8m ($41.58m)

Messi Cristiano Ronaldo net worth: How much are the football legends worth?

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Lionel Messi's net worth is estimated to be around a whopping $600 million, making him one of the wealthiest athletes around the globe. Much of the Messi annual income can be attached to his earnings from Barcelona and his various endorsements with brands like Adidas, Pepsi, Huawei, Gatorade, MasterCard and Lay's. The Messi salary could be upped further if he opts for a transfer this summer. It is likely that only clubs such as Man City and PSG could afford the high Messi annual income.

As for Cristiano Ronaldo, the website reports that the Juventus ace's net worth is apporixmately $500 million. Much like Messi, the Portuguese legend boasts of an empire of brand endorsements, including Nike, DAZN, Herbalife, Uniliver and MTG among others. Ronaldo also boasts of a luxury hotel chain across some of the world's top destinations for tourists. He also sells various self-branded products, such as perfumes and clothing. As a result, the combined Messi Cristiano Ronaldo net worth comes up to $1100 million.

Disclaimer: The above Ronaldo and Messi net worth information is sourced from various websites and media reports. The website does not guarantee a 100% accuracy of the figures.

(Image Courtesy: Ronaldo, Messi Instagram)