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June 5, 2026
Ronaldo and Conor McGregor built their legacies in completely different worlds, but their friendship has followed them from Las Vegas to Riyadh. From Forbes money talk to ringside jokes and social media exchanges, the soccer icon and UFC superstar share a rare mutual respect...
Back in 2016, Cristiano Ronaldo earned $88 million while Conor McGregor pulled in $22 million. That gap mattered to both men. When the two posed together in Las Vegas that summer, McGregor sent Ronaldo a friendly warning. He said he was coming for the top spot on the Forbes list. It was a joke, sort of. But it captured something real about how these two stars saw each other. One man rules a soccer pitch. The other ruled a cage. They've never competed in the same sport. And yet their paths keep crossing, again and again, over almost a decade.
Cristiano Ronaldo - The Mac Life
Their first real meeting happened in July 2016. McGregor was training in Las Vegas for his rematch with Nate Diaz at UFC 202. Ronaldo, fresh off winning Euro 2016 with Portugal, was vacationing in the United States. So he dropped by.
Why Las Vegas? The connection runs through McGregor's longtime coach, John Kavanagh. Ronaldo is friends with him. That link made the visit easy.
The two squared up inside the Octagon for a photo. Ronaldo, standing at 6-foot-1, towered over the 5-foot-9 Irishman. McGregor posted the picture on Instagram and called Ronaldo "an animal." He thanked him and added that he'd be chasing that number one Forbes spot the following year.
It wasn't the first time the two had connected, though. McGregor once said Ronaldo texted him after the fighter wore CR7 underwear at a 2014 weigh-in. That was for McGregor's UFC debut against Diego Brandao. Small moments. But they built a real rapport between two men from very different worlds.
If you ever want to follow the action across the sports these two represent, you can find a betting site that covers both soccer and combat events under one roof.
Both men have praised each other in public. And neither seems shy about it...
McGregor once described Ronaldo in glowing terms. He called him a phenomenal athlete and entrepreneur. He pointed to Ronaldo's discipline and his perfectionist attitude. McGregor even said the soccer star has inspired many young kids around the world.
Ronaldo, for his part, seemed to enjoy McGregor's company. When they sat together at boxing events in Saudi Arabia, cameras caught Ronaldo laughing and joking with the fighter. His partner, Georgina Rodriguez, watched the exchanges and looked amused too.
But McGregor being McGregor, he couldn't resist a playful jab. After their 2016 meeting, a reporter asked him about Ronaldo. McGregor praised the man's shape and called him a true athlete. Then he joked that he'd "slap the head off him" in the Octagon. He made clear it was all in good fun. Ronaldo, he said, was a very nice guy.
The two have crossed paths several times over the years. Here's a look at the key moments.
The Saudi Arabia meetings stand out. By then, Ronaldo had moved to Al-Nassr and was living in the country. McGregor flew in for the big boxing nights. They sat ringside, side by side, comparing their expensive watches and trading jokes.
Money has been a running theme between them. And it's easy to see why.
In 2016, the earnings gap was wide. Ronaldo made $88 million that year. McGregor made $22 million. The fighter wanted to close that gap, and he said so openly.
So did he ever catch up? In some years, McGregor's fight purses and his whiskey business pushed his income way up. His 2017 boxing match against Floyd Mayweather alone reportedly earned him huge sums. The two athletes have danced near the top of various rich lists ever since.
McGregor has weighed in on soccer salaries more broadly too. After the Forbes 2022 rich list came out, he commented on Ronaldo's great rival, Lionel Messi. McGregor thought Messi should be paid more. He noted Messi was on a reported $75 million a year, flat, before endorsements.
It's a fun question. And fans love to ask it.
On paper, Ronaldo has the size. He's taller, with a longer reach. He's famously fit and never skips leg day, as one writer put it. He's a physical specimen by any measure.
But here's the thing. Ronaldo isn't a fighter. Skill in soccer doesn't translate to the cage. McGregor has spent his whole life learning how to hurt people inside those eight walls. Most experts agree no soccer player would last a round against a trained UFC champion.
Would the result be any different if it were Ronaldo? Probably not. Even McGregor, while praising the man's physique, made it clear who'd win that imaginary contest. Still, the idea is fun to picture.
What makes these two so interesting together is how differently they got famous.
Ronaldo built his name through steady, relentless work over two decades. He's known for routine, diet, and an almost machine-like focus. His career is a long climb with very few dips.
McGregor took a louder path. He went from collecting welfare checks in Dublin to making millions in the span of a few years. He talks. He boasts. He sells fights with his mouth as much as his fists. The two men share drive and discipline, but they wear it in opposite ways. That same competitive fire is something Ronaldo has carried into other arenas as well.
Maybe that's why they get along. Each respects what the other built. They recognize the grind, even when the sports look nothing alike.
The two haven't faded from each other's lives. In early 2026, Ronaldo posted on Instagram about recovering from an injury. McGregor jumped into the comments. He wrote "Me too, Champ!" His reply became the most liked comment on the post.
Fans loved it. Many hoped the exchange might push McGregor toward a UFC return. He'd been rumored for a card in mid-2026 but didn't end up on it. The comment kept the speculation alive anyway.
Will they cross paths again? It seems likely. Both still travel in the same elite circles of sport, money, and fame. Boxing nights in Saudi Arabia, charity events, social media. The chances to bump into each other keep coming.
Two icons. Two sports. One long, friendly rivalry that never quite became a real contest. And honestly, that might be the best part of it. They never had to fight to respect each other. They just had to keep showing up.
Cristiano Ronaldo next game for Portugal is on June 6, against Chile, for an international friendly. You can watch Portugal vs Chile, Brazil vs Egypt, Argentina vs Honduras, England vs New Zealand, Greece vs Italy and USA vs Germany, all matches provided from our live football game pages.
Portugal next game:
Portugal vs Chile kick-off time (06-06-2026):
Beijing (China) | UTC/GMT+8: 01:45
India (New Delhi) | UTC/GMT+5.30: 22:15
Saudi Arabia (Riyadh) | UTC/GMT+4: 21:45
Spain (Madrid) | UTC/GMT+2: 19:45
Portugal and England (Lisbon/London) | UTC/GMT+1: 18:45
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) | UTC/GMT-3: 14:45
New York (United States) | UTC/GMT-4: 13:45
Los Angeles (United States) | UTC/GMT-7: 12:45
Sources: ronaldo7.net / independent.ie / talksport.com
