The Top 5 Most Charitable Athletes
With their huge salaries and luxury lives, some sports stars might lose forget where they came from, but not these ones!
1. Cristiano Ronaldo: Giving Back on a Global Scale
Cristiano Ronaldo may be one of football’s highest-paid players, but he's just as known for his generosity. The Portuguese superstar has donated millions over the years — including his entire Champions League bonus and his Golden Boot — to charitable causes.
He gave nearly $9 million to Nepal after the 2015 earthquake and personally visited victims of the Indonesian tsunami after seeing a video of a boy wearing his Portugal jersey. Ronaldo also funded a life-saving surgery for a 10-year-old child suffering from a brain disorder.
As a global ambassador for Save the Children, he’s active in the fight against childhood hunger and has said he lives by his father’s advice: “When you help other people, then God will give you double.”
2. Serena Williams: A Champion for Change
On top of her Grand Slam titles, Serena Williams has a strong philanthropic legacy. She serves as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and has built schools in Kenya through Build Africa Schools. She's also volunteered in Ghana to support child immunisation efforts.
Her own charity, The Serena Williams Foundation, helps underprivileged youth attend college, supports gun control advocacy, and offers legal aid to those wrongly imprisoned or unable to afford representation.
Serena’s influence extends through her support for groups like Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Elton John AIDS Foundation, and Hearts of Gold.
3. LeBron James: Investing in the Next Generation
NBA icon LeBron James is deeply committed to educational opportunities for young people. Through the LeBron James Family Foundation, he donated $41 million to send over 1,000 kids to college.
He's also funded amusement park trips for 5,000 children and their families from his hometown of Akron, Ohio. LeBron gave the entire $2.5 million proceeds from his famous “The Decision” TV special to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.
The foundation has also donated over 1,000 computers, renovated facilities, and continues to offer mentorship programs. Beyond charity, LeBron has used his platform to speak out on racial justice and police reform in the U.S.
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4. Ronda Rousey: Fighting for a Cause
Ronda Rousey may have made her name in the UFC ring, but her impact goes far beyond sports. Her charity supports mental health through partnerships with organisations like Didi Hirsch and their Suicide Prevention Centre.
She also founded the Gompers Judo Program, helping cover travel and living expenses for young judo athletes. Through the Free Rice Campaign, Ronda has helped donate millions of grains of rice to the World Food Programme.
She once even gave $30,000 — and her UFC Championship belt — to a judo school in Brazil to support the next generation of fighters.
5. John Cena: A Real-Life Hero
WWE superstar John Cena holds the record as the most requested athlete for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, having granted over 500 wishes for seriously ill children.
Cena also supports the Susan G. Komen Foundation, helping raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research. He’s personally helped raise more than $1 million by selling limited-edition pink shirts he wears in the ring during breast cancer awareness months.
One touching moment came when he invited a young fan into the ring after spotting her with a sign that read, “I’m beating cancer,” wearing his gear with pride.
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