Cristiano Ronaldo trumps Lionel Messi in list of Top 10 highest-paid athletes in 2024
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REVEALED: Top 10 highest-paid athletes in the world in 2023 | Illustration by David Ben/Pulse Sports

LIFESTYLE Cristiano Ronaldo trumps Lionel Messi in list of Top 10 highest-paid athletes in 2024

Cristiano Ronaldo trumps Lionel Messi in list of Top 10 highest-paid athletes in 2024

David Ben • 14:00 - 08.03.2024

Ronaldo has leapfrogged Messi to become the highest-paid athlete in the world in 2024, ahead of NBA icon LeBron James and a host of other big names.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been named as the highest-paid athlete in 2024.

Ronaldo has now beaten his eternal rival Lionel Messi and NBA superstar LeBron James to the top spot following his mega-money move to Al-Nassr earlier in January this year.

Ronaldo, 39, signed a staggering £175m-per-year deal in the Middle East and is now the highest-paid athlete in the world in 2024.

Cristiano Ronaldo won the Saudi Pro League Player of the Month award for February 2023 after scoring eight goals and assisting twice.

Since signing for the Middle Eastern giants, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 36 goals in 37 appearances for Al Nassr FC in the Saudi Pro League.

Overall he has scored over 48 goals in more than 56 games for the Riyadh-based team.

Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest-paid athlete in the world in 2023
Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest-paid athlete in the world in 2023| © Ronaldo
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However, reports have also suggested that Ronaldo, now the world's highest-paid athlete, is ready to call time on his Middle East adventure, with his girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez believed to be 'desperate' for a return to Europe, according to El Nacional.

Lionel Messi topped by Cristiano Ronaldo in highest-paid athletes in the world in 2024

Inter Miami star Lionel Messi has dropped to no.2 in the world’s highest-paid athletes in the world.

Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi is the second highest-paid athlete in the world as of 2023
Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi is the second highest-paid athlete in the world as of 2023| Photo Credit: IMAGO

The Argentine skipper who has enjoyed a beautiful start to life in the MLS has already been nominated for the 2023 Ballon d'Or award having led Argentina to a remarkable World Cup triumph in 2022.

Pulse Sports reported that Messi has already surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo in the richest footballers in the world list in 2023.

Messi has a long list of lucrative endorsements, including Adidas, Budweiser and PepsiCo and Socios. 

The 36-year-old World Cup champion is still one of the most prized assets on the planet despite his gradual decline.

Lionel Messi is one of the highest-paid athletes in the world in 2023
Lionel Messi - Image Credit - Inter Miami

Last season, Messi has scored 11 goals and created a further 5 assists for Inter Miami since joining the MLS franchise club on a free transfer from Paris Saint Germain in the summer.

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Messi who was months ago suspended by his former club PSG for an unauthorized trip to Saudi Arabia is now the second highest-paid athlete in the world in 2023.

Messi’s former teammate and PSG’s highest-paid player Kylian Mbappe completes the all-football top three.

Mbappe's salary is reportedly a club-high 19.56% of the team's entire payroll for the 2022/23 season at £73million-per-annum.

Kylian Mbappe is among the highest-paid athletes in the world
Kylian Mbappe is among the highest-paid athletes in the world as of 2023

The 24-year-old Les Blues captain signed a mega-money new contract at the French club last summer and helped his country to the World Cup final, where he scored the most goals at the tournament (8).

LeBron James leads highest-paid athletes in the world outside of Top 3

Lebron James is among the highest-paid athletes in the world in 2023
LeBron James is the highest-paid basketballer in the world as of 2023

However, dropping out of the top three is Basketball legend LeBron James, who has had another successful year on court.

King James, 38, is the highest non-football athlete on this list and the fourth highest-paid athlete in the world in 2024, courtesy of his staggering LA Lakers contract - worth $44.5m (£35m) a year.

Mexican boxer, Canelo Alvarez is sixth in Forbes’ 2024 rich list, with Golf stars Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson settling in sixth and seventh place among the richest athletes in the world in 2024.

Steph Curry, Tennis Legend Roger Federer and Kevin Durant complete the star-studded top 10 list of highest-paid athletes in the world.

Roger Federer is among the highest-paid athletes in the world in 2023
Roger Federer is among the highest-paid athletes in the world in 2023

Federer also seals his place as the highest-paid Tennis player in the world despite retiring professionally in 2022.

Meanwhile, Formula 1 great and Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton misses out from the list after finishing in the Top 10 in 2021.

Below is the Top 10 list of highest-paid athletes in the world in 2024.

Revealed: Top 10 highest-paid athletes in the world (2024)

Below is list of the top 10 highest-earning athletes for the period from May 1, 2022 to May 1, 2023, including active athletes only, according to Forbes:

10. Kevin Durant (Basketball) - $89.1 million

Kevin Durant is among the highest-paid athletes in the world in 2023
Kevin Durant is among the highest-paid athletes in the world in 2023

Nationality: U.S.

 Age: 35

Sport: Basketball 

On-Field Earnings: $44.1 million

 Off-Field Earnings: $45 million

9. Roger Federer (Tennis) - $95.1 million

Retired Tennis legend Roger Federer is among the highest-paid athletes in the world
Retired Tennis legend Roger Federer is among the highest-paid athletes in the world

Nationality: Switzerland

 Age: 42

Sport: Tennis 

On-Field Earnings: $0.1 million 

Off-Field Earnings: $95 million

8. Steph Curry (Basketball) - $100.4 million

Stephen Curry is one of the highest-paid athletes in the world.
Steph Curry of Golden State Warriors is among the highest-paid athletes in the world as of 2023

Nationality: U.S. 

Age: 36

Sport: Basketball

 On-Field Earnings: $48.4 million

 Off-Field Earnings: $52 million

7. Phil Mickelson (Golf) - $106 million

Phil Mickelson is one of the highest-paid athletes in the world in 2023
Phil Mickelson is one of the highest-paid athletes in the world in 2023

Nationality: U.S.A

 Age: 53

Sport: Golf

 On-Field Earnings: $104 million

 Off-Field Earnings: $2 million

6. Dustin Johnson (Golf) - $107 million

Dustin Johnson is among the highest-paid athletes in the world in 2023
Dustin Johnson is among the highest-paid athletes in the world in 2023

Nationality: U.S.

 Age: 39

Sport: Golf 

On-Field Earnings: $102 million 

Off-Field Earnings: $5 million

5. Canelo Álvarez (Boxing) - $110 million

Canelo Álvarez is among the highest-paid athletes in the world
Canelo Álvarez is among the highest-paid athletes in the world

Nationality: Mexico 

Age: 33

Sport: Boxing 

On-Field Earnings: $100 million 

Off-Field Earnings: $10 million

4. LeBron James (Basketball) - $119.5 million

LeBron James is among the highest-paid athletes in the world
LeBron James is among the highest-paid athletes in the world

Nationality: U.S.

 Age: 39

 Sport: Basketball 

On-Field Earnings: $44.5 million

 Off-Field Earnings: $75 million

3. Kylian Mbappe (Soccer) - $120 million

Kylian Mbappe is among the highest-paid athletes in the world in 2023
Kylian Mbappe is the new captain for France

Nationality: France 

Age: 25

Sport: Soccer 

On-Field Earnings: $100 million

 Off-Field Earnings: $20 million

2. Lionel Messi (Soccer) - $130 million

Lionel Messi is the second highest-paid athlete in the world in 2023
Lionel Messi with the World Cup trophy and his golden ball after leading Argentina to victory against France in the final in Qatar

Nationality: Argentina 

Age: 37

 Sport: Soccer 

On-Field Earnings: $65 million 

Off-Field Earnings: $65 million

1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Soccer) - $136 million

Cristiano Ronaldo is the no.1 highest-paid athlete in the world.
Cristiano Ronaldo is the world's highest-paid athlete in 2023

Nationality: Portugal 

Age: 39

Sport: Soccer 

On-Field Earnings: $46 million 

Off-Field Earnings: $90 million

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Lionel Messi Kylian Mbappe Lottin Cristiano Ronaldo