Cristiano Ronaldo earns twice as much as Neymar in Saudi Arabia

Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest paid player in the Saudi Pro League, twice as much as the second-placed Neymar.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Al-Nassr in January 2023 marked a historic moment for the Saudi Pro League. It was the start of a wave of stars moving to Saudi Arabia.

Cristiano Ronaldo earns twice as much as Neymar in Saudi Arabia

Ronaldo was unable to inspire Al-Nassr to the title. However, Ronaldo’s 50-goal haul in the 2023/24 season suggests Al-Nassr’s investment was well worth it.

According to the website Capology, Ronaldo is the highest paid player in the Saudi Pro League. The Portuguese star earns 200 million euros per year. This is double the number of stars in second place, Neymar and Karim Benzema, who earn 100 million euros per year. The next player in the position is Riyad Mahrez with 52.5 million euros.

The huge salaries of these players show that Saudi Arabia is determined to become a destination for the world’s top football talent. Currently, Saudi Arabian clubs are still being linked with big-name stars such as Casemiro, Ederson, Alisson Becker and Kevin De Bruyne.

Neymar made just five appearances for Al-Hilal in the 2023/24 season before the season was ended due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury. This means that Neymar pocketed €20 million per appearance in Saudi Arabia. Al-Hilal won the title convincingly without Neymar, and they are expected to have an easier time defending their title when Neymar returns next season.

Top 10 highest paid players in Saudi Arabia:

1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr) – 200 million Euro/season

2. Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad) – 100 million Euros/season

3. Neymar (Al-Hilal) – 100 million Euro/season

4. Riyad Mahrez (Al-Ahli) – 52.5 million Euro/season

5. Sadio Mane (Al-Nassr) – 40 Euro/mùa

6. Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal) – 34.7 million Euro/season

7. Aleksandar Mitrovic (Al-Hilal) – 25 million Euro/season

8. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Al-Hilal) – 25 million Euro/season

9. N’Golo Kante (Al-Ittihad) – 25 million Euro/season

10. Aymeric Laporte (Al-Nassr) – 24.5 million Euro/season