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While Cristiano Ronaldo continues to dominate, Lionel Messi has been displaced from the top 3 highest-paid athletes in the world.
Cristiano Ronaldo, at 40 years old, continues to defy expectations—not just on the pitch, but also in his financial dominance.
According to Sportico’s annual list of the world's highest-paid athletes, the Portuguese superstar has topped the rankings for the second consecutive year, with a staggering $260 million in earnings.
This includes $215 million from his Saudi Pro League club, Al Nassr, and an additional $45 million from sponsorships and endorsements.
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Ronaldo’s earnings have propelled his career total beyond an astonishing $1.8 billion since his professional debut for Sporting CP in 2002.
His move to Saudi Arabia in December 2022 significantly boosted his salary, making him the highest-paid footballer in the world.
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He has leveraged his global appeal into lucrative endorsements with brands like Nike, Herbalife, Altice, and Binance.
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His social media dominance—where he remains the most-followed person globally, with over 1 billion total followers and 649 million on Instagram—has only added to his commercial value.
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Despite his advancing age, Ronaldo continues to perform at an elite level.
In 2024, he made history by becoming the first male footballer to score 900 career goals and played in a record-breaking sixth European Championship.
His longevity is a testament to the evolving landscape of modern sports.
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12:13 - 05.02.2025
Ronaldo at 40: Al Nassr star tops 37 y/o Lionel Messi as the highest-earning footballer on Instagram
Ronaldo is reportedly the highest-paid footballer on Instagram in 2025.
Messi drops out of Top 3 as Neymar and Tyson Fury make Top 5
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While Ronaldo leads the way, Sportico reports that Lionel Messi, his long-time rival, ranks fifth on the list with $135 million in earnings.
The top five also include NBA stars Stephen Curry ($153.8 million) and LeBron James ($133.2 million), as well as heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury, who amassed $147 million in 2024.
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Notably, 33-year-old Neymar is the only athlete under 36 among the top eight earners, having sealed an emotional return to his boyhood club Santos last month.
In total, the world’s 100 highest-paid athletes collectively earned an estimated $6.2 billion in 2024—an increase of 14% from the previous year.
Of this, $4.8 billion came from salaries and prize money, while $1.4 billion was generated from endorsements, sponsorships, and off-field ventures.
The breakdown by sport for other athletes in the top 100 was soccer (12), baseball (11), golf (9), boxing (6), tennis (2) and Formula 1 (2).
There are 29 new entries this year, including a dozen from the NFL, as those contracts often contain large signing bonuses.
Last year, Dak Prescott, Jordan Love and Jared Goff each reached agreements with bonuses of more than $70 million.
The U.S. dominates the top 100 with 64 athletes—the U.K. was next with five athletes, followed by Japan and France at three each.
But the top 10 is much more diverse, including eight different nationalities and only two Americans
However, for the second consecutive year, no female athletes made the top 100.
The highest-paid female athlete in 2024 was Coco Gauff, who earned $30.4 million, falling short of the $37.5 million cutoff set by NFL quarterback Daniel Jones.
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The Saudi Influence and the future of athlete salaries
The influx of Saudi Arabian investment has been a game-changer in the world of sports, particularly in football, boxing, and golf.
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Alongside Ronaldo, other footballers playing in Saudi Arabia—such as Neymar, Karim Benzema ($116 million), Riyad Mahrez ($52 million), and Sadio Mané ($45.5 million)—also secured spots in the top 100.
Messi, despite declining a move to the Saudi Pro League, still benefits from a $25 million endorsement deal with Saudi Arabia’s tourism authority.
Boxing superstars Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk ($122 million) collectively earned $260 million for their two fights in Riyadh last year, further highlighting Saudi Arabia’s growing financial footprint in global sports.
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Meanwhile, in the world of golf, Saudi-backed LIV Golf contracts continue to push earnings to unprecedented heights.
The list also features Shohei Ohtani ($72.5 million) and legend Tiger Woods ($62.1 million), who made more from sponsorships than their actual sporting salaries.
REVEALED: The World’s Highest Paid Athlete in every sport
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Below is a list of the Highest-Paid Athlete in Each Sport in 2024 as per figures from Sportico.
1st overall, Cristiano Ronaldo (Football ) — $260 million per year
2nd overall, Stephen Curry (Basketball ) — $153.8 million per year
3rd overall , Tyson Fury (Boxing) — $147 million per year
10th overall, Jon Rahm (Golf) — $105.8 million per year
12th overall, Dak Prescott (American Football) — $100.4 million per year
18th overall, Max Verstappen (Motorsport) — $76 million per year
21st overall, Shohei Ohtani (Golf) — $72.5 million per year
43rd overall, Jannik Sinner (Tennis) — $52.3 million per year
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