Cristiano Ronaldo will overtake Lionel Messi on this list

CR7 already excites Manchester United with goals 4:42

(CNN) -

Cristiano Ronaldo is poised to surpass his longtime rival, Lionel Messi, as the highest-paid footballer in the world, according to Forbes.

Following his move to Manchester United, the Portuguese superstar will earn US $ 125 million this season, before taxes, of which 70 million will come solely from his salary and bonuses.

Messi, meanwhile, will earn US $ 110 million in the 2021-22 season, which will make him the second highest paid footballer.

The 34-year-old Argentine player joined Paris Saint-Germain from Barcelona this year and is expected to earn more than Ronaldo in terms of salary: $ 75 million.

But Ronaldo - who is the most popular athlete on social media, with more than 500 million followers on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, according to Forbes - receives $ 55 million in sponsorships, compared to Messi's 35 million.

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The 5 most expensive soccer players in the world 1:04

After Cristiano, PSG

Messi's PSG teammates Neymar and Kylian Mbappe rank third and fourth on the list, and these players are expected to earn $ 95 million and $ 43 million respectively.

Neymar, who has just signed a four-year extension, will earn more than Ronaldo in terms of income from the field ($ 75 million), but does not have anywhere near the same power of attraction when it comes to sponsorships. , which is expected to contribute US $ 20 million.

In total, the Parisian squad boasts three of the five highest-earning players on the planet, as they attempt to form a team capable of winning the coveted Champions League trophy for the first time.

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Liverpool's Mohamed Salah rounds out the top five list as the Egyptian is expected to make $ 41 million this season.

Forbes builds its list by talking to clubs, sponsors, player agents and financial experts, and estimates that the 10 highest-earning footballers will have pre-tax income of $ 585 million this season, an increase compared to 570 million last year.

Cristiano Ronaldo Lionel Messi