Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi beaten by footballer of royal heritage in richest players list

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are hailed as the best footballers of the current generation. With over 1200 goals and a staggering 11 Ballon d'Or awards between them, they've dominated the modern era and continue to go strong despite entering their 30s.

Since their rise to stardom in the 2000s, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have consistently been amongst the highest-paid footballers in the world. Additionally, sponsorship deals and other endorsements have elevated Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi's status in recent years.

🔎💸 Los 10 futbolistas más ricos del mundo... y el primero no es ni Messi ni Cristiano Ronaldo https://t.co/4lGExrG0Ok

— MARCA (@marca) June 8, 2020

Only Roger Federer placed higher on Forbes' list of highest-paid athletes than Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who occupy second and third place respectively.

In terms of footballers, it is hard to imagine another player jumping ahead of the two when it comes to their salaries. However, Blogfinancefr's list of richest footballers in the world took everyone by surprise, as some shocking revelations came to light.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi beaten to top spot

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have a staggering 11 Ballon d'Or awards between them

According to Blogfinancefr via Marca, neither Cristiano Ronaldo nor Lionel Messi is the richest footballer in the world currently. That title belongs to one Faiq Bolkiah, who is plying his trade for Premier League side Leicester City.

Bolkiah has previously represented the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, and Stoke City in the youth divisions and is also the captain of the Brunei national team currently. He is also the nephew of Hassanal Bolkiah, who happens to be the Sultan of Brunei and one of the wealthiest individuals in the world.

The 22-year-old has not made a single appearance for the senior side but reportedly has a fortune valued at $20 billion.

In stark contrast, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are nowhere close to reaching the Brunein's staggering figure. While Cristiano Ronaldo is valued at $450 million, Lionel Messi falls just behind with a fortune believed to be in the region of $400 million.

The likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Neymar Jr, Wayne Rooney, Gareth Bale, Andres Iniesta, Eden Hazard, and Paul Pogba complete the top ten, as Faiq Bolkiah's surprise inclusion continues to raise eyebrows globally.

Cristiano Ronaldo has become the first billionaire footballer, according to Forbes 💰 pic.twitter.com/fWzSufNICl

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) June 4, 2020

With the European football season set to resume this month, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will be raring to go after a two-month hiatus owing to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Cristiano Ronaldo has spearheaded Juventus to the top of the Serie A this season. The Bianconeri are a point clear of Lazio at the top of the table and look well placed to retain the Scudetto.

With 21 league goals to his name so far this season, Cristiano Ronaldo has been in red hot form and looks set to lead Juventus' title charge after the restart.

Similarly, Lionel Messi has been at the forefront of Barcelona's title challenge. The Blaugrana are two points clear of Cristiano Ronaldo's former club and arch-rivals Real Madrid and are looking to win the La Liga for the third season running.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have aged like fine wine and are set to battle it out in the UEFA Champions League, the race for the European Golden Shoe as well as the Ballon d'Or when the season resumes.