Let’s be real, anyone with enough passion and talent to dominate the sport of their liking can mint lucrative amounts almost unimaginable by layman. Rafael Nadal is one of those athletes – better yet, he is one of the few players to attain such success. With his retirement farewell looming, fans have been scouring social media to know exactly how much money he has pocketed. While the numbers will blow your mind, it isn’t nearly enough when comparing it with his longtime rival and friend, Roger Federer.

At the young age of 13, the Spanish generational talent signed his first deal with sporting giant Nike, where he earned just over $500,000 in five years. With his rise to prominence on the tour-level events, a healthy contract renewal negotiation helped him acquire a 10-year extension in 2008. Only this time, the ‘Swoosh’ label’s end of the bargain came at a whopping $10M for the stipulated period. Later, another extension earned him well over $10M in just five years starting in 2018.

Rafa has minted a total of $134.9 million in career prize money, notably the second-highest in the ATP history and falling behind arch-nemesis Novak Djokovic. However, the Spaniard has earned north of $415 million from brand deal endorsements, promotional appearances, and other off-court ventures. Now when we’re finally racking up the big numbers, Federer effortlessly takes the lead. The ‘Swiss Maestro’, although retired in 2022 at the Laver Cup, piled an excess of $1.1 billion during his stellar career. Moreover, the Swiss legend’s earnings somewhat level those of Djokovic, who continues to flourish on the tour at the age of 37.

Despite an extensive list of sponsors including Richard Millie, Nike, and Louis Vuitton, amongst others, Rafa couldn’t tap into the marketing game like Federer. The former World No. 1’s lucrative investment portfolio, including co-ownership of brands like ‘On Running’, readily helped him become one of the few athletes who crossed the $1 billion mark – with other stars like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Cristiano Ronaldo making the list. However, according to Nadal’s agent, “he’s still printing money” off-court. To much amazement, the ‘King of Clay’ cashed in $23M in the last year, regardless of his absence from the tour.

However, money hardly matters to people like Rafa and Federer. With enough cash for a ‘happily ever after’, the legendary duo knows what’s more important in life, and, for the Swiss star, it’s his friendship with Nadal.

Roger Federer pens heartfelt note for Rafael Nadal ahead of farewell in Malaga

Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal is all set to bid adieu to the sport that brought him laurels for a quarter century. After being unable to play without “limitations” for nearly two years due to a ‘cocktail’ of injuries, the Spaniard finally decided to make the impending decision and end his career wearing Spanish colors for the last time at the Davis Cup Final 8 in Malaga.

Before stepping on the court for his singles match encounter against the Netherlands’ Botic Van de Zandschulp, his longtime friend Roger Federer hailed him for his resilience and, for scripting a memorable journey during their iconic rivalry. The ‘Swiss Maestro’ took to his official Instagram handle to post an emotional tribute for Rafa, that compartmentalized the onset of their on-court rivalry to sharing an adorable bond with each.

For now, Nadal battles the Dutchman in a bid to secure a final victory for his nation. With teammate and four-time Major winner Carlos Alcaraz aiding him, fans can expect a thriller in Malaga before Nadal takes his leave from the sport.