Forbes lists Messi second footballer to earn $1 billion

World player of the year, Lionel Messi has been named the second professional footballer to earn $1 billion in his career.

This is after his rival, Cristiano Ronaldo was listed the first footballer to hit that hallmark. Ronaldo marked then as the third athlete to earn $1 billion in his career after professional golfer Tiger Woods and professional boxer Floyd Mayweather.

Forbes named Messi the highest-earning footballer in 2020 as the Argentine raked $126m ($92m in salary and $34m in endorsements) tipping him into the $1 billion mark.

Ronaldo came second in the list of highest-earning footballers for the year 2020 according to Forbes with his total earning $117 million ($70 million in salary and $47 million endorsements).

Other footballers who featured in the 2020 list of highest-earning players are Kylian Mbabpe, Mohammed Salah, David de Gea, among others.