The FIFA World Cup has brought together the world’s football elite for a few weeks, as they’ve battled it out in stadiums across the USA, Canada and Mexico. But have you thought about where they all jet off to after the final whistle? Today’s footballers rank among the world’s richest people, let alone other sporting megastars, with some World Cup players reaching billionaire status.
With wealth comes buying power and typically a taste for luxury property. We’ve picked some of the most famous players from the 2026 tournament and reveal where they own homes around world. We’ve ignored any commercial property interests, sticking to residential homes for personal use.
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Cristiano Ronaldo – Portugal
One of the biggest names in the game, Ronaldo owns international property worth an estimated $90million. The jewel in the crown is his 5,000-sq-m retirement mansion near Cascais on the Estoril Coast west of Lisbon. Rebuilt to an eyewatering spec, the finished product includes a glass-bottom pool, spa, cinema, tennis court and a 30-car garage for his supercar collection. It is now ranked among Portugal’s most expensive residences.
Other European homes in CR7’s portfolio include a Lisbon penthouse, seven-storey family house on Funchal’s harbourside in Madeira, an ultramodern mansion in Madrid’s exclusive La Finca community (from his time at Real Madrid), a villa in a celebrity enclave in Marbella and a grand home in the upmarket Strada San Vito Revigliasco community in Turin (from his time at Juventus).
Meanwhile, last December he was reported to have snapped up two luxury villas beside the Red Sea on the Saudi-owned island resort of Nujuma. Before that though, his first foothold in the Middle East was reported to be a villa plot on Dubai’s Jumeirah Bay, nicknamed the Island of Billionaires. He bought there after moving to Saudi to play for club Al-Nassr.
Lionel Messi – Argentina
You can argue who the true GOAT is – Messi or Ronaldo – till the cows come home. But what seems indisputable is the size of the Argentinian’s residential property portfolio. Recent reports put its value at circa $300million, spanning Argentina, Florida, Spain and France.
One of Leo’s oldest homes is his base in the luxury community of Bellamar in Castelldefels just south of Barcelona. He bought a villa there in 2009 just after getting his first Ballon d’Or with Barcelona. Since then he’s bought neighbouring plots and expanded, adding a football pitch, spa and gym.
Messi, who along with Ronaldo was one of the most anticipated World Cup players in 2026, enjoyed regular family holidays to Ibiza over the years so it’s no surprise he has bought his own slice of the famous Balearic Island. In 2022 he purchased a sprawling villa in a stunning spot beside the Med near Cala Tarida in the island’s western district of Sant Josep. Purchase price – said to be circa $12million but it did come with some planning issues!
It’s across the pond in Florida where Messi has really got the real estate bug. Even before signing for Inter Miami in 2023, he owned a handful of properties in Sunny Isles Beach, north Miami. These included a $5million condo in the Porsche Design Tower, a $7million entire-floor apartment in the Regalia Building and units in the Trump Royale development. Then in 2023 he added a waterfront mansion in Fort Lauderdale’s Bay Colony community to his Sunshine State portfolio.
Not forgetting his Argentine crib. Ever loyal to his birthplace, he had a huge family estate, known as The Fortress, built in his hometown of Rosario. How much time he’ll get to spend there, who knows!
Neymar Jr – BRAZIL
All-time top scorer for Brazil, the legendary Neymar is today worth an estimated $450million. So, it’s only natural that he’d have snapped up a few homes around the world during his highly lucrative career, which has included stints at Barcelona and PSG.
On his home turf, Neymar owns a property within an exclusive beachfront estate called Portobello in Mangaratiba, just west of Rio de Janeiro. Bought in 2016 for around $8million, it includes a private dock, go-kart track and helipad and has access to water sports and a private safari. He is reported to have flirted with the purchase of Japao Island, a six-acre tropical paradise off the Brazilian coast at Angra dos Reis and a chopper ride from Rio.
In 2024 he purchased paid $26 million for a waterfront lot in the gated village of Bal Harbour, Miami. But his priciest real estate purchase has been his $54million ‘Sky Mansion’ penthouse in the Bugatti Residences skyscraper in Dubai. It includes a private pool and elevator that accommodates cars!
Kylian Mbappe – France
Still young compared to the above maestros, France captain and wonder player Kylian didn’t hold back after his transfer to Real Madrid in 2024. He snapped up a mansion in the Spanish capital’s famous La Finca community, previously belonged to Welsh baller Gareth Bale and familiar turf with other World Cup players. The circa €12million property comes indoor and outdoor pools, a cinema, a basketball court, a golf green and a private football pitch.
A native of Paris, France’s all-time top goalscorer also owns a $10million a duplex penthouse in the heart of the French capital. Features reportedly include a basketball court and Turkish baths, complemented by views of the Eiffel Tower and Champs Elysees!
Erling Haaland – Norway
Still only aged 25, internationally feared monster striker Haaland already has a property portfolio spanning Spain, England and Norway. In 2022 he bought a large villa in Spain’s Costa del Sol for an estimated $7.1million. A modern property situated in Marbella’s Golden Mile area, it includes a sauna and huge underground living area. The following year The Viking followed his roots to Oslo where he paid a reported $3.3million for a luxury apartment in the exclusive Sommerro development.
Back in the UK, The Viking is reported to have picked up his own country pile in the Cheshire countryside. Complete with its own lake and stables, it’s still a short drive to Manchester for training!
Mo Salah – Egypt
The Egyptian superstar, who steered the Pharaohs to their best ever World Cup result this year, has accumulated a handful of residences over the years. From his years as the golden boy at Liverpool, Mo retains a luxury property in Cheshire’s famous Golden Triangle area.
For some quality time by the Med, he owns a newly built seafront villa on the upmarket Bodrum Peninsula in Turkey. Worth an estimated $10million, his Turkish retreat is within the exclusive Mare development in the Gundogan-Kucukbuk area. It includes a private beach and pool, cinema, library, a wellness wing featuring a fitness centre, a sauna, a spa and independent accommodation for his staff.
In his native Egypt, Mo has an exclusive residential enclave in the upmarket Tagamoa district in the Fifth Settlement neighbourhood, about 50 kilometres east of Cairo’s bustling city centre. He also retains the more modest family home where he grew up in the Delta town of Nagrig, 130 kilometres north of the Eyptian capital.
World cup players’ favourite spots in the football cities
Price is not an issue for soccer stars on astronomical salaries when they’re house-hunting after a club move. Naturally, they tend to stick together and head to exclusive neighbourhoods and communities, where get guaranteed privacy and feel more at home amongst their own and other well-heeled residents. Here are some examples.
In Madrid, upmarket Pozuelo de Alarcon is the go-to district for the city’s resident elite sports stars and celebs. Top pick there is the ultra-premium La Finca gated community, dubbed the Beverley Hills of Madrid.
The equivalent in rival city Barcelona is Castelldefels along with Gava Mar, just south of the city, often dubbed ‘Castelldefels Hills‘. On a leafy hillside there, the exclusive Bellamar community is the hottest postcode in town and is known to many World Cup players.
Players at PSG in Paris tend to spread themselves between gated communities in affluent leafy suburbs, mostly west of the city. Areas like Montmorency, Bougival, Neuilly-sur-Seine and Saint-Germain-en-Laye.
In Italy’s Milan, players wanting a modern, lively lifestyle head to the CityLife or Porta Nuova districts, while those wanting traditionally upscale environment prefer Brera or Portello (home to AC Milan).
Many of Lisbon’s top-flight players seeking privacy and space go west of the city to the upscale coastal areas of Estoril and Cascais, home to the exclusive Quinta da Marinha golf community. Those that prefer to be central often base themselves around Principe Real, Chiado and Avenida da Liberdade. In the Algarve, the golf and leisure resorts of Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo remain popular for second homes international sports stars and celebs – don’t be surprised to see current and former World Cup players there, teeing off or enjoying some pool time!
In the Gulf, Riyadh’s Al Muhammadiyah and Al Nakheel gated communities are top picks for footballers lured to play for teams in the Saudi Pro League.
