According to Forbes magazine, Cristiano Ronaldo has become the world’s highest-paid athlete for the first time since 2017 after his move to Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr nearly doubled his annual playing salary, while Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) duo Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe round out the top three.
Ronaldo, who signed a contract with the Saudi football club until 2025 after leaving Manchester United last year, received $136 million, with Forbes reporting that his annual playing wage increased to an estimated $75 million.
The media has estimated Ronaldo’s contract to be worth more than 200 million euros ($220 million).
PSG striker Messi, 35, came in second with a combined $130 million, while club teammate and France captain Mbappe, 24, came in third with $120 million.
LeBron James ($119.5 million) of the Los Angeles Lakers and Mexican boxer Canelo Alvarez ($110 million) rounded out the top five.
Last year also saw the debut of LIV Golf, a breakaway tour that has enticed some of the top players on the US-based PGA Tour with large sums of money, and two of its golfers make the top 10.
Former world number one Dustin Johnson (sixth with $107 million) made the most money after making the controversial transition to LIV Golf, despite failing to make the top 50 in 2022. Fellow LIV golfer Phil Mickelson (seventh with $106 million) joined him on the Forbes list.
The other two basketball players on the list are four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry ($100.4 million) and Phoenix Suns’ Kevin Durant ($89.1 million). Roger Federer ($95.1 million) is the only retired player in the top ten.
According to Forbes, on-field earnings comprise all prize money, salary, and bonuses earned in the previous 12 months, whereas off-field earnings include an estimate of sponsorship deals, appearance fees, licencing income, and cash returns from enterprises owned by athletes.
