Messi, Ronaldo and Salah: how their tech and investments differ

Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have shifted from one-off endorsements toward ownership: Messi launched Play Time HoldCo in October 2022 and has taken stakes across sports, media and technology, while Ronaldo’s investments concentrate on health tech, including a May 2024 Whoop deal and a February 2026 $7.5 million purchase for 10 percent of HBL Pro2col Software. Mohamed Salah has largely remained with commercial partnerships, property and philanthropic work, with UK corporate filings showing his business interests are concentrated in holding companies and real estate.

How have Messi and Ronaldo built investment portfolios?

Messi has built a Silicon Valley-style portfolio through Play Time HoldCo and personal stakes: Play Time, launched in October 2022 and initially reported to be targeting roughly $200 million, lists investments that include FieldAI, Fish Audio, World Labs, Perceptron, Intangible, SuperAnnotate, the FIFA-licensed mobile game Matchday and the memorabilia marketplace AC Momento. Play Time’s remit is investing across sports, media and technology, and Messi also holds a stake in fantasy platform Sorare and joined the ownership group of KRÜ Esports.

Beyond Play Time, Messi received an ownership component as part of his 2023 move to Inter Miami, an arrangement that has drawn attention though neither the club nor MLS has publicly confirmed the stake size. Sportico valued Inter Miami at $1.45 billion in February 2026, up 22 percent year-on-year, the highest valuation in MLS history. Messi’s three-year, reportedly $20 million ambassadorship with Socios.com is a paid promotional contract rather than a disclosed equity stake.

How does Ronaldo’s strategy differ?

Ronaldo focuses his capital on health and wellness technology, turning longtime product alignments into investments: he became an investor in Whoop in May 2024, which he called one of his most significant investments to date, and in February 2026 he paid $7.5 million for a 10 percent stake in HBL Pro2col Software, the Herbalife subsidiary behind the Pro2col wellness platform. A month later, Herbalife agreed to acquire London-based Bioniq in a deal worth up to $150 million, and Bioniq’s personalized supplement technology will be integrated into Pro2col.

Ronaldo’s links to Herbalife date back to 2013 and extend into club interests as well: he reportedly received a 5 percent ownership stake in Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr in a deal finalized in June 2025 and valued at roughly £50 million, which the article converts to $66.7 million. Ronaldo has framed tools like Whoop as part of his long-term health routine.

How is Mohamed Salah’s approach different?

Salah has stuck to a more traditional, lower-profile business mix focused on endorsements, real estate and charitable work: his most visible commercial relationships remain endorsement deals with Adidas, Pepsi and Vodafone Egypt, and public UK corporate filings show his interests are concentrated in commercial holding companies and property. He continues philanthropic activity through the Mohamed Salah Charitable Foundation rather than widely disclosed startup equity.

Why it matters

“The shift from traditional sponsorship agreements towards equity stakes and startup investments reflects a broader focus on long-term wealth creation and financial security beyond an athlete’s playing career,” says Kamraan Khan, partner at Archers Valuation and Advisory, summarizing the move from fees to ownership. Athlete investors can bring global reach and distribution to startups, and equity offers capital appreciation and potential dividend income that sponsorships typically do not provide, changing how top players manage wealth as their careers wind down.

What to watch

Watch for any public confirmation of the size of Messi’s Inter Miami ownership component, the integration of Bioniq into Pro2col after the up-to-$150 million deal, and whether other elite footballers shift disclosed capital from endorsements into startup equity following Messi and Ronaldo’s moves.