The debate between the two football icons had another chapter written to the book,as 'La Pulga' topped the Portuguese ace in a ranking published today.

Once again, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were included in a debate, but this time, it was settled by the amount of money they earn.

The Argentinian ace leapfrogged his Portuguese colleague by $3M, in a ranking published by Forbes Magazine. Both footballers were included in the Top 100 Highest-Paid Celebrities List, and that slim difference between the pair saw them making it to the Top Ten spots. Messi was ranked eighth, while CR7 made it to the 10th spot.

The list is topped by forrmer boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr, and it also includes entertainment personalities and groups such as Dwayne Johnson, basketball player LeBron James, reality TV star Kim Kardashian and rock bands U2, Coldplay and Guns N' Roses, to name a few. Neymar was the only other footballer to be included in this list, with the Brazilian making it to the 13th spot.

Messi's new deal with Barcelona, which was signed in November, gave him the edge over his eternal rival. Let's see how things change next year, when CR7's new contract is considered for this ranking.

If you want to have a look at the full list, click here.