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#4 Cristiano Ronaldo: $21.5 million (13.2% increase over last year)
What a year Ronaldo is having, eh?
He bagged his second consecutive BEST FIFA Award this year and is odds-on favourite to bag a record-equalling (Leo Messi's record, by the by) 5th Ballon d'Or after his exploits earlier this year when his goals powered Real Madrid to their first La Liga triumph in half-a-decade and their third Champions League triumph in 4 years.
Oh, it was also their first League-Europe double since 1958!
Although 32 - an age when most footballers are on the wane - Ronaldo's stock has never been higher and apart from the whole range of CR7 products that he himself endorses (jeans, innerwear, perfumes, et al) he is the face of Nike's global marketing campaign and the most marketable footballer on the planet (he has, of course, customised boots - the Nike Mercurial Vapor CR7) is one of the biggest celebrities on social media. In fact, just in 2016-17, his sponsors earned $936 million in media value across his social media accounts.
Don't expect the 3-time Premier League, 2-time La Liga, 4-time Champions league, and 4 time-Ballon d'Or winner to drop off this list anytime soon.
