Cristiano Ronaldo has once again been named the highest-paid athlete in the world, according to Forbes’ latest list.
The 40-year-old football star from Portugal earned around £206.6 million ($275 million) last year. That’s about £11.2 million more than he made in 2023.
This is now the third year in a row Ronaldo has topped the Forbes rich list, and the fifth time overall during his successful football career.
A big part of Ronaldo’s income comes from his £177 million-a-year contract with Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr, which he joined after leaving Manchester United in December 2022.
In addition to his football salary, Ronaldo also earns a lot through sponsorship deals and his huge online following, with over 939 million followers across social media.
Only one athlete has made more than Ronaldo in a single year — Floyd Mayweather, the retired boxing champion, who earned $300 million in 2015 and $275 million in 2018.
Coming in second place is NBA legend Steph Curry, who made about £117.1 million ($156 million). He also became the first player to score 4,000 three-pointers in the NBA.
British boxer Tyson Fury ranks third, earning £109.5 million ($146 million) after two big fights against Oleksandr Usyk in Riyadh.
Lionel Messi, Ronaldo’s longtime football rival, dropped to fifth place this year. Messi, who now plays for Inter Miami, made around £101.3 million ($135 million), with about half of that from sponsorships.
One of Messi’s big deals includes promoting Saudi Arabia as a tourist destination, which adds a lot to his income.
Another Saudi-based footballer, Karim Benzema, is eighth on the list. The Al-Ittihad striker earned £78.2 million ($104 million) last year.
The rest of the top earners include LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Dak Prescott, Juan Soto, and Shohei Ohtani.
Meanwhile, Erling Haaland, the highest-paid player in the Premier League, was ranked 34th. The Manchester City striker earned £46.5 million ($62 million), with £36 million ($48 million) coming from his club salary.
Cristiano Ronaldo – £206.6m ($275m)
Stephen Curry – £117.1m ($156m)
Tyson Fury – £109.5m ($146m)
Dak Prescott – £102.8m ($137m)
Lionel Messi – £101.3m ($135m)
LeBron James – £100.4m ($133.8m)
Juan Soto – £85.5m ($114m)
Karim Benzema – £78m ($104m)
Shohei Ohtani – £76.9m ($102.5m)
Kevin Durant – £76.1m ($101.4m)
