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Earnings Ranked: Who is the Highest-Paid Athlete in the World?

Will Brown by Will Brown, March 25, 2025

The World’s Most Paid Athlete Messy, Naymar and Ronaldo

Sports has come a long way since Michael Jordan was the highest-paid athlete in the world. Now, it’s commonplace for both domestic and international sports leagues to pay huge sums of money to lure the biggest stars, which boosts their earning significantly when taking into account endorsement deals. The previous year has seen athletes earn some of the largest paychecks of all time, and it seems that this new era of mega-rich sports stars won’t be slowing down any time soon.

Who Are the Highest Paid Sports Stars?

Ever wondered what’s driving the large paychecks behind the most-paid athletes in the world? To get this guide started, we’ve discussed the numerous factors that have made modern sports stars so rich, from the increase in investment by Middle Eastern oil giants to endorsement deals.

We’ve then ranked the top 10 highest-paid athletes of the past year according to their earnings, starting with Cristiano Ronaldo and concluding with Lamar Jackson. In several cases, these stars have earned record-breaking paychecks for their sports and leagues.

Behind the Most-Paid Athletes in the World

As the world’s most successful athlete, Michael Jordan revolutionized the earning potential of athletes through his partnership with Nike. Since then, his model has been replicated countless times, and the off-field earnings by top players frequently far exceed their on-field salaries. However, this isn’t always the case.

In the past five years, some of the world’s largest leagues and sports teams have been purchased by wealthy interests in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar. This has resulted in significant investment to draw players to their local leagues or international teams, and several of the highest-paid sports stars on this list owe their riches to these deals.

Of course, endorsements also make up a significant portion of many players’ earnings, with lucrative deals from sportswear, technology, and fashion companies generating millions for athletes. The following list of athletes was outlined by Forbes in 2024, which utilized a thorough methodology to determine the highly paid professionals.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo

With an estimated $260 million earned in 2024, Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest-paid athlete in the world. The 40-year-old Portugues soccer player has held this title four times throughout his career, with his latest record-breaking earnings coming from a deal with the Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr.

The deal, valued at $200 million, has supplemented his off-field earnings of $60 million. His current partners include Binance, Nike, Herbalife, and Whoop, all of which he regularly advertises to his 649 million Instagram followers. The investment in Ronaldo has proved to be valuable for Al Nassr, and he continues to be a safe player to back in props soccer betting.

2. Jon Rahm

In 2024, golfer Jon Rahm joined the list of the richest athletes in the world after a valuable deal with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tournament. In 2024, the star player earned a huge $218 million, which was heavily impacted by a reported $300 million signing deal with the fledgling tournament.

In addition to this, Rahm also earned nearly $35 million in LIV Golf tournament winnings in 2024, making him a worthy pick at online sportsbooks with golf markets. Additional deals have seen him own a 25 percent stake in the Legion XIII LIV franchise, with an estimated $20 million coming from endorsements with Mercedes-Benz, Rolex, and Santander.

3. Lionel Messi

Proving once again that soccer remains one of the highest-paid sports, Argentina’s Lionel Messi reported a stellar year of earnings last year by taking $135 million in on-and-off-field payments. Of these, $65 million has come from his contract with Inter Miami, and his presence has already helped to make the team the second-most valuable in the MLS.

Messi has also been a long-time favorite for major sponsors, too, with partnerships with Royal Caribbean, Apple, Adidas, and Konami boosting his off-field earnings to $70 million. The star’s 505 million Instagram followers are frequently exposed to his many marketing campaigns, making him a safe bet for his endorsers.

4. LeBron James

As perhaps the most famous star in one of the top 5 highest-paid sports in the world, basketballer LeBron James earned an estimated $128.2 million in 2024. The 40-year-old legend generated $48.2 million from his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, though there is speculation that 2025 could be one of his last years.

Fortunately, James’ widespread public appeal will ensure that he earns in the long term. In 2024, James signed a multi-year ambassador deal with DraftKings, adding the company to an endorsement portfolio that includes Nike, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, and State Farm. These partnerships brought in $80 million last year, boosting his net worth to over $1.2 billion.

5.Giannis Antetokounmpo

Basketballer Giannis Antetokounmpo has leveraged his “Greek Freak” persona and Milwaukee Bucks success to drive his 2024 earnings to $111 million. The 30-year-old has a contract worth $46 million with the Bucks, with the huge $230 million five-year deal set to expire at the end of 2025.

However, like James, it’s his off-field personality that really rakes in the big bucks. Antetokounmpo has partnered with Pepsi, Nike, JBL, Hulu, and others, and in 2024 he launched a production company, Improbable Media. Investments in AI companies and ScorePlay have helped to make him among the most-paid athletes in the world.

6. Kylian Mbappé

As one of the top-ranked soccer players in the world, it should come as no surprise that Kylian Mbappé earned $110 million in 2024. The French forward earned the majority of his money through a lucrative deal with the Qatar-backed Paris Saint-Germain, bringing an additional $90 million to his coffers.

Although his recent signing to Real Madrid will drop his earnings to around $36 million, his off-field earnings are nothing to balk at. He grossed $20 million from endorsements last year, thanks to partnerships with the NBA, Nike, Oakley, Accor, Dior, and Hublot.

7. Neymar

It should come as no surprise that soccer player Neymar is such a high earner. The star holds the record for the largest transfer fee ever paid in soccer, with Paris Saint-Germain paying over $220 million to acquire the player. The star now plays for Saudi team Al Hilal thanks to an $80 million a year contract, boosting his earnings to $108 million.

Neymar’s pay package also came with several other luxurious perks, including access to a private jet and a staffed mansion. Neymar has also benefited from nearly $30 million in endorsement deals, with partners including Skims, Puma, Red Bull, Konami, and gambling giant Flutter Entertainment.

8. Karim Benzema

The eighth highest-paid athlete in the world is soccer player Karim Benzema, who like many of the other soccer players on this list benefited from a valuable deal with the Saudi Pro League. The star was lured away from Real Madrid by a $100 million a year contract with Al Ittihad that appears to have paid off for the team owners.

However, unlike many of the other athletes on this list, Benzema’s off-field earning potential is quite conservative. His endorsements generated $6 million last year, with partners including Adidas, Hyundai, Bwin, and EA Sports among the most well-known.

9. Stephen Curry

The second American athlete on this list, four-time NBA Champion Stephen Curry has managed to become a top earner in 2024. His annual earnings reached $102 million thanks to on-court earnings of around $52 million per season. This made him the first player to earn more than $50 million per season.

Despite nearing retirement age, Curry’s legendary status has made him a worthy partner among major brands. The player benefited from a deal with Under Armour that will grant him $75 million in stocks, while deals with JPMorgan Chase, Callaway, and Fanatics boosted his off-field takings to $50 million.

10. Lamar Jackson

Finally, to round out this list, we have star NFL player Lamar Jackson, who made it to the list thanks to a valuable deal with the Baltimore Ravens. With a large signing bonus and his salary combined, Jackson earned $98.5 million from his athletic activities in 2024. Interestingly, his off-field endorsements only netted $2 million, with partnerships with Oakley, Under Armor, Nike, and his own clothing line Era 8 boosting his takings.

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