Cristiano Ronaldo tops Instagram rich list, surpassing Kylie Jenner

Al Nassr star earns more than $2 million per sponsored post

Cristiano Ronaldo is also the highest-paid athlete this year. Getty Images

Cristiano Ronaldo is now the top-earning celebrity on Instagram.

The football star, 38, has surpassed Kylie Jenner, 25, to top the list in data revealed by Hopper HQ, a social media marketing company.

Ronaldo earns a staggering $2.39 million per sponsored post, while Jenner, 25, rakes in $1.83 million. Meanwhile, fellow football star Lionel Messi makes $1.77 million per sponsored post and is third on the list. Selena Gomez ($1.73 million) and Dwayne Johnson ($1.71 million) round out the top five.

Ronaldo is the most followed individual on the platform with more than 597 million followers. In the past, he has shared sponsored posts for sport site LiveScore, wellness brand Therabody and cryptocurrency exchangers Binance.

The 10 highest-paid celebrities on Instagram

1. Cristiano Ronaldo, $2.39 million
2. Kylie Jenner, $1.83 million
3. Lionel Messi, $1.77 million
4. Selena Gomez, $1.73 million
5. Dwayne Johnson, $1.71 million
6. Kim Kardashian, $1.68 million
7. Ariana Grande, $1.68 million
8. Beyonce, $1.39 million
9. Khloe Kardashian, $1.32 million
10. Kendall Jenner, $1.29 million

Highest-paid athlete

Ronaldo also recently set a Guinness World Record as the highest-paid athlete this year when he signed with Saudi club Al Nassr.

"In the 12 months leading up to May 1, 2023 [the date by which most sports seasons are concluded], Ronaldo is estimated to have earned $136 million," said a Guinness World Record representative.

Earlier this year, after leaving Manchester United for Al Nassr, he signed a contract that "nearly doubled his salary to an estimated $75 million". Ronaldo took the top spot from his long-time rival Messi, who earned $130 million last year.

The Portuguese star’s earnings off the pitch have also given his income a massive boost. "In addition to his lifetime contract with Nike, Ronaldo also makes money through his CR7-branded merchandise," added the representative.

The second highest-paid athlete is Messi with $130 million ($65 million on-field, half off-field). The next is also another football star Kylian Mbappe, who earned $120 million – $100 million of which come from on-field income.