When it comes to money, Cristiano Ronaldo is still the king. The Portuguese superstar has once again left his rivals behind, claiming the top spot on Forbes’ list of the world’s highest-paid athletes. With a staggering income of over £206 million last year, the 40-year-old Ronaldo proves he’s not just a goal scorer, but a master of contracts and sponsorships like no other.
And while Lionel Messi slides down the rankings, Tyson Fury punches his way onto the podium – joined by basketball icon Steph Curry and a backdrop of Saudi millionaire clubs. If there were a gold medal for paychecks, Ronaldo would win it by a mile.
Fury makes top 3 – Messi drops down
In second place is NBA legend Steph Curry, who in a historic season – where he became the first player to hit 4,000 three-pointers – earned £117 million.
But perhaps the biggest surprise is British heavyweight Tyson Fury, who lands in third with £109 million. The 36-year-old boxer made the money from his two blockbuster fights against Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk in Riyadh. Fury lost the title in December and announced (yet again) his retirement – though he remains under pressure to make a comeback.
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Messi still in top 5 – but under pressure
Lionel Messi, Ronaldo’s long-time rival, has to settle for fifth place in this year’s rankings. He earned £101.4 million, about half of which came from sponsorships – including a lucrative deal to promote Saudi Arabia as a tourist destination. Messi is currently under contract with Inter Miami in the U.S.
The Saudi league is clearly making its mark. Karim Benzema from Al-Ittihad also features in the top 10, earning £78.2 million and placing eighth on the list.
The top earners are rounded out by well-known names like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, NFL quarterback Dak Prescott, and baseball stars Juan Soto and Shohei Ohtani.
With this, Ronaldo sets yet another record – not on the pitch, but in the bank – cementing his status as sport’s biggest money-making machine.
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Source: Daily Mail
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