[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text dp_text_size=”size-4″]Football players Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have once again taken the top two slots on Forbes’ annual list of the highest-paid sportsmen in the world, as was to be expected. Three football players, three basketball players, two golfers, one boxer, and one tennis player are all represented on the list.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who made a staggering $136 million in 2023, is at the top of the list. The Portuguese striker made money from a mixture of his numerous endorsement deals, which included one with Nike, and his $46 million salary from Al Nassr.
A total of $130 million was earned by Lionel Messi, of which $65 million came from his salary at Paris Saint-Germain and the remaining $65 million from his numerous sponsorships.
Kylian Mbappé, a teenage French forward who has emerged as one of the game’s most sought-after players, is ranked third on the list. The 24-year-old has firmly established himself as one of football’s biggest players after earning $100 million on the pitch and an additional $20 million from endorsements.
Thanks to his impressive $44.5 million salary with the Los Angeles Lakers and his numerous business endeavours, including his media company SpringHill Entertainment, basketball legend LeBron James came in fourth with $119.5 million.
Boxer Canelo lvarez from Mexico completed the top five with earnings of $110 million, partly as a result of his lucrative deal with streaming service DAZN.
This year, there were two golfers on the list, with Dustin Johnson placing sixth and Phil Mickelson placing seventh. Basketball sensation Stephen Curry, tennis icon Roger Federer, and another basketball player, Kevin Durant, took the final three slots on the list.
It comes as no surprise that the highest-paid athletes in the world are those who succeed in team sports with enormous worldwide audiences, but it’s still astonishing to see how much money these people can make thanks to their abilities and endorsements.
Here is the full list:
Rank | Athlete | Country | Sport | On-Field Earnings | Off-Field Earnings | Total
Earnings |
1 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal | Football | $46m | $90m | $136m |
2 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | Football | $65m | $65m | $130m |
3 | Kylian Mbappe | France | Football | $100m | $20m | $120m |
4 | LeBron James | USA | Basketball | $44.5m | $75m | $119.5m |
5 | Canelo Alvarez | Mexico | Boxing | $100m | $10m | $110m |
6 | Dustin Johnson | USA | Golf | $102m | $5m | $107m |
7 | Phil Mickelson | USA | Golf | $104m | $2m | $106m |
8 | Steph Curry | USA | Basketball | $48.4m | $52m | $100.4m |
9 | Roger Federer | Switzerland | Tennis | $0.1m | $95m | $95.1m |
10 | Kevin Durant | USA | Basketball | $44.1m | $45m
|
$89,1m |
Data from Forbes[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]