Cristiano Ronaldo was named Forbes’ highest-paid athlete, earning a whopping £109 million ($136m), surpassing Lionel Messi by one spot.
This is the highest amount earned by a footballer in history, and it marks Ronaldo’s return to the top spot since 2017.
Despite his exit from Manchester United due to controversial comments made towards the club, Ronaldo’s compensation has not suffered.
Forbes revealed that his earnings last year included “prize money, salaries and bonuses,” as well as “sponsorship deals, appearances fees and memorabilia.”
Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe completes the top three with earnings of £96m ($120m). LeBron James and Canelo Alvarez, both basketball and boxing legends, respectively, round out the top five, trailing behind Mbappe, who received a lucrative new deal last summer.
The Top 10 List In Full
Rank | Name | Clue | Earnings in GBP (millions) |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Football player | 109 |
2 | Lionel Messi | Football player | 104 |
3 | Kylian Mbappe | Football player | 96 |
4 | LeBron James | Basketball player | 95 |
5 | Canelo Alvarez | Boxer | 88 |
6 | Dustin Johnson | Professional golfer | 86 |
7 | Phil Mickelson | Professional golfer | 85 |
8 | Stephen Curry | Basketball player | 81 |
9 | Roger Federer | Tennis player | 76 |
10 | Kevin Durant | Basketball player | 72 |