Who are the highest paid athletes in the world in 2024?

Saudi Arabia’s relatively recent emergence into the world of sports, the creation of new competitions and the stars who have been seduced by lucrative contracts has completely changed the panorama in the industry. Saudi Arabia’ influence on football and golf , among many other disciplines in which they have entered with force, has also been reflected in the annual Forbes list of the highest paid sports stars on the planet.

This year’s top 10 is marked by Arabian mega contracts and explains why Cristiano Ronaldo, star player at Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr, tops the ranking with a whopping 239 million euros, and Spanish golfer Jon Rahm, who signed up with LIV Golf at the end of last year, pockets a total of just over 200 million euros. The pair lead the table of the highest paid athletes of the past year.

Note that this classification is based on the salaries received by each star, as well as additional cash prizes, bonuses, image rights agreements and sponsorship deals. With these parameters, it is striking that only one sportsman who competes in Europe, Kylian Mbappé, appears in sixth place with 101 million euros in income. The United States, as usual, is represented with the very high contracts of the NBA, in the case of LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo, or of the NFL, with Lamar Jackson, the Ravens quarterback. A player from the MLS, the football (soccer) league, also appears - a regular on the list in recent years, Leo Messi, who is now on the books at Inter Miami.

This is the Top-10 highest paid sportsmen according to Forbes

1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/soccer/Al Nassr) 239 million

The Portuguese forward, who turned 39 in February, moved to Saudi Arabia on an adventure that from the outside appeared like a golden retirement; but the star has responded by scoring goals and registering figures typical of his best years. According to Forbes, it is estimated that he earns around 184 million euros a year - a figure which includes his sponsorship agreements with brands such as Nike, Herbalife... etc. for which he earns close to 55 million.

3. Jon Rahm (Spain/golf/LIV Golf) 124 million

The Basque, winner of two majors, changed circuits and became the big star of the new Saudi LIV Golf, for which he earns a total of around 182 million, to which we must add sponsors, agreements...

3. Lionel Messi (Argentine/soccer/Inter Miami) 124 million

Messi touching down in Major League Soccer revolutionized the competition. The Argentinean, according to the list, earns more income from his agreements with brands such as Adidas, Konami, Apple and so on... than from his contract, which is believed to be around $20 million - a fraction of his total earnings.

4. Lebron James (North America/basketball/Lakers) 117.8 million

At 39 years old, the four-time MVP earns more than $44 million per season, and still has an option to earn over $50 million for another year. But his off-field contracts bring him another $73.5 million.

5. Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece/basketball/Bucks) 102.7 million

This Greek who has conquered the NBA with his physical power has a megastar contract (about $42.3 million), but his figure in terms of sponsorships and his personal businesses add almost $60 million on top of that.

6. Kylian Mbappé (France/soccer/PSG) 101.1 million

The 82.7 million euros that the French star receives from PSG places him as one of the highest-paid footballers, although his departure from Paris will reduce his salary substantially. However, his sponsorship income has increased year on year.

7. Neymar (Brazil/soccer/Al Hilal) 99.3 million

Almost 73.5 million euros are paid by Saudi Al Hilal to the Brazilian, despite the fact that a serious injury has only allowed him to play five games. The rest is billed for with various sponsorship deals.

8. Karim Benzema (France/soccer/Al Ittihad) 97.4 million

A case similar to that of Neymar and, although his performance has been better, his arrival in Saudi Arabia has not had the impact he expected. It is estimated that his annual earnings exceed 90 million euros.

9. Stephen Curry (North America/basketball/Warriors) 93.8 million

With almost $50 million guaranteed under contract in the Golden State Warriors, his recent alliance with Under Armor brings in a substantial amount to which the rest of his sponsorships deals must be added, doubling his salary.

10. Lamar Jackson (North America/American football/Ravens) 92.4 million

Lamar Jackson is among the highest-paid players in the NFL, to which must be added the bonus received from the renewal and his numerous businesses off the field, from sponsorships to restaurants and clothing lines.

Cristiano tops the ranking for the second year in succession and boosts his earnings from the $136 million he took home in 2023, while Messi’s earnings remained exactly the same, despite the pay cut he took to move to Miami. Compared to last year’s list, five sports stars appeared in the 2023 list but don’t figures in this year’s Top 10: Canelo Alvarez (5th - $110 million), Dustin Johnson (6th - $107 million), Phil Mickelson (7th - $106 million), Roger Federer ( 9th - $95.1 million) and Kevin Durant (10th -$89.1 million).

Messi topped the 2022 Forbes list with $130 million, ahead of Lebron James ($121.2 million), Cristiano Ronaldo ($115 million) and Neymar ($95 million). Completing the 2022 ranking were Stephen Curry ($92.8 million), Kevin Durant ($92.1 million), Roger Federer ($90.7 million), Canelo Alvarez ($90 million), Tom Brady ($83.9 million) and Giannis Antetokounmpo ($83.9 million).