Cristiano Ronaldo and Conor McGregor stunned the world in 2016 by coming together for a crossover of seismic proportions. The sporting legends, who’ve effectively conquered their respective domains, met at the Irishman’s gym. The duo went on click a couple of record-breaking pictures. But not before, McGregor made an unbelievable promise to Ronaldo, one that the Soccer legend simply couldn’t help but laugh at.
Their fateful meeting happened while both athletes were at the peak of their careers. Ronaldo was busy dominating Europe with Real Madrid, while McGregor was essentially the king of the octagon. They crossed paths when the Al-Nassr striker visited McGregor’s gym in Las Vegas. The Irishman, who was busy preparing for his UFC 202 fight against Nate Diaz, was caught off-guard by his visit.
McGregor👊🏻 told Ronaldo⚽️ he’ll overtake his net worth years ago…
And today, he did!! 😮👏🏻🇮🇪pic.twitter.com/sAtKXW9GPe
— 🌷David☘ (@DManyun_) May 12, 2021
The duo talked about a variety of topics, eventually striking up a conversation about their wealth. McGregor expressed his desire to purchase a private jet, before going on to mention Ronaldo topping that year’s Forbes highest-paid athletes list. The Irishman also mentioned his humble ranking of 38. The ‘Notorious’ then voiced his ambition of beating Ronaldo and topping the list himself.
The soccer legend chuckled at the idea, he waved his finger before adding, “I’ll get you!.” At the time, his nonchalance seemed reasonable, as Ronaldo netted an extravagant annual salary. In contrast, McGregor relied on prize money and fight purses. However, almost everyone underestimated the Irishman’s guile as a marketer, and his skills as an entrepreneur.
After selling his majority stake to Proximo Spirits in a deal worth $600 million, Conor McGregor became the Forbes No. 1 Highest Paid Athlete of 2021 with Cristiano Ronaldo in second place, truly embodying the “Mystic Mac”.
— Nami (@namibaral) July 15, 2023
The 35-year-old established his very own whiskey brand, Proper No. Twelve, and lead it to great heights. Eventually, he banked on the brand in 2021, selling it for a reported $600 million. The incredible deal helped McGregor leapfrog every major athlete’s earnings that year, including Ronaldo’s. In the end, the MMA icon fulfilled his promise and overtook the striker as the highest-paid athlete of 2021.
Conor McGregor and Cristiano Ronaldo’s ranking on 2023 highest-paid athletes list
It’s been 2 years since Conor McGregor’s exceptional achievement, and things have effectively returned to normal now. The 35-year-old’s extended absence from the octagon has seen his earning take a massive hit. In comparison, Cristiano Ronaldo’s sensational deal with Al-Nassr sees him net an eye-watering annual salary.
Cristiano Ronaldo, the world’s most-paid athlete, has set a Guinness World Record for the highest yearly earnings for an athlete in 2023, topping Forbes’ list of the world’s highest-paid athletes. pic.twitter.com/20fnTLddLp
— Economy.pk (@pk_economy) July 15, 2023
Given this, Ronaldo has retained his spot at the top of the list of highest-paid athletes, with Forbes putting his earnings at $136 million. As for McGregor, the Irishman fails to feature entirely in the list, dropping even below the Top 50 athletes.