The greatest soccer players of the century, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, have amassed fortunes throughout their successful careers. However, it looks like a female athlete is set to be worth even more than both of them combined.
Weâre talking about tennis star Jessica Pegula, No. 5 in the WTA rankings, who is expected to be heiress to a ÂŁ5 billion ($6.37bn) fortune from her father Terry, whose worth has been estimated at an impressive ÂŁ5.32 billion ($6.77 bn) by Forbes.
Apart from owning several sports franchises including the NFLâs Buffalo Bills and NHLâs Buffalo Sabres, Pegulaâs father is said to be one of the wealthiest businessmen in the US due to his ventures in the oil and gas industries.
Meanwhile, The Mirror understands Messi and Ronaldo boast a combined worth of just over ÂŁ1 billion ($1.27bn). While the Portuguese superstarâs estimated net worth stands at ÂŁ470m ($598m), the Argentine maestroâs reported fortune is ÂŁ554m ($705m).
Jessica Pegula of team USA plays a backhand against Sofia Costoulas of Team Belgium during the Billie Jean King Cup Qualifier match between USA and Belgium at USTA National Campus on April 12, 2024 in Orlando, Florida.
Pegula, 30, has also seen plenty of money come her way thanks to her success on the tennis court, though theyâre not even close to the career earnings from Messi and Ronaldo, as her estimated net worth is ÂŁ9.4 million ($12m).
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Jessica Pegula not happy with the âworldâs richest tennis playerâ tag
Dubbed as âthe worldâs richest tennis playerâ due to her fatherâs fortune, which is not to her name yet, Pegula showed her unhappiness with this label around her on the Netflix series Break Point in 2023.
âSome people get this image that itâs really easy for me because my dad is very wealthy but that didnât happen until I was 17 or 18. My dad was probably more hard on me and instilled a lot of work ethic in me. That definitely got me to this point,â Pegula said. âI hate when people write horrible stuff on social media or online. I donât think I owe anything to prove those people wrong.â
How much does Cristiano Ronaldo make?
According to Fabrizio Romano, Cristiano Ronaldoâs two-and-a-half year deal signed with Al Nassr in January 2023 sees the Portuguese striker make âŹ200 million per season with commercial deals included.
Cristiano Ronaldo (left) and Lionel Messi.
How much does Lionel Messi make?
The 2024 MLS Player Salary Guide shows Lionel Messi has a guaranteed compensation of $20,446,667.00 with Inter Miami for 2024, though reports claim his annual income rises to $50-60 million with sponsorship deals.
