Published: 08:56, 25 October 2025 | Updated: 08:56, 25 October 2025

At the start of the month, Cristiano Ronaldo broke yet another record within the footballing world. 

The Al-Nassr superstar was, as per finance experts Bloomberg, declared the first ever billionaire player, with an estimated £1.04billion fortune accrued from his earnings on the pitch, lucrative endorsement deals, property empire, and investments. 

But to one retired player, Ronaldo's staggering wealth is mere chicken feed. 

There was no way for Arsenal star Mathieu Flamini to accrue his billions during his playing career, which took place over the 2000s and 2010s when salaries - although unimaginable to most - were some way off the megabucks up for grabs in the 2020s. 

Nor did the former AC Milan and Crystal Palace midfielder garner particular attention as one of the media standouts playing for France, earning just three caps during his international career. 

But Flamini's 2019 post-playing career move into biochemicals has paid serious dividends, with the CEO now in possession of a net worth of an estimated £10bn, as per the Sun. 

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