Basketball player LeBron James, with an annual income of $ 86.2 million, did not manage to get around the star Portuguese Ronaldo, who earned $ 93 million over the past 12 months.
For CR7, the last year has been one of the most successful of his career. He was named the best footballer in the world by FIFA, scored his 400th career goal for his current club, and also signed a new contract with Real Madrid, according to which Galacticos will pay the Portuguese more than $ 50 million every year. Ronaldo also signed a lifetime contract with Nike worth about $ 1 billion.
Cristiano Ronaldo made $ 58 million at Real Madrid and received another $ 35 million from sponsors. In addition to the agreement with Nike, the forward cooperates with such well-known brands as Herbalife, Sumsung, Tag Heuer, Abbott Labs and others. CR7 also has its own line of footwear, clothing, underwear, and also invests in hotel construction.
Sponsors are getting a good return by partnering with Ronaldo. The Portuguese himself is popular not only on football fields, but also in the virtual world. More than 250 million people from all over the world have subscribed to his pages on social networks (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram). By the way, on the social network Instagram, Ronaldo earns 400 thousand euros for each post.
Highest Paid Athletes of 2017: Top 10
In addition to Ronaldo, LeBron James, Roger Federer and Kevin Durant were among the top five athletes with the highest earnings. Compared to the previous year, the top five remained practically unchanged, only James and Messi changed places.
Over the past 12 months, the top 10 highest paid sports stars have earned $ 619 million. The calculation of the athletes' earnings was taken from June 1, 2016 to June 1, 2017. The profit indicator included salaries, bonuses, and income from business sponsors.
A passion for sports is close to almost any teenager. Everyone can love sports, but only a few can boast of making it a matter of their lives and making millions of dollars. Big sports means big money.
Professional athletes did not think that a childhood hobby would develop into a profitable business of a lifetime. In the modern world, income is made up not so much of victories and awards, but of the salaries of organizations and advertising activities. For example, football players on PR of a cool brand earn tens of times more than from the championship. And there are also big fees for artificial "draining" of the game and on match-fixing. Bookmakers, betting, shooting in commercials - all this together and brings the player millions of accounts.
The big names of athletes are associated with fame and packs of dollars. Is this really so, and who is considered the richest athlete in history and the modern world - you can find out from the ratings.
At the end of the article, we have prepared a surprise 🎁 - an exciting test to test your attentiveness 😃
Forbes ranking of the highest paid athletes
The ranking of the richest people is published annually in the American magazine Forbes. This includes politicians, businessmen, actors, and other influential persons. There are also TOP successful and wealthy athletes. At the end of 2018, the following sports figures were immortalized on the pages of the magazine:
Floyd Mayweather
The MMA fighter managed to get a one-time fee of $ 275 million. It seems impossible, but in the world big sport this is a very real figure. The fight with Conor McGregor was a watershed moment that elevated Mayweather not only to the top of the Forbes list, but also to the top three richest athletes in history. The historic duel was organized relatively quickly - in a month. The interest of the audience was fueled not only by the status of the fighters, but also by the skirmish that arose between them on social networks.
Floyd's ten lead rounds ended with a technical knockdown. No one expected such a spectacle, and the preliminary fees of both athletes increased significantly. In addition, Mayweather acted in the status of "side A", which means he dictated the conditions of the fight. In addition to royalties, Floyd received huge funds from advertising and other events related to the large-scale battle.
The highest paid football player in the world at the end of 2018 is always put next to Beckham and Ronaldo. If we talk about the components of the annual income, then only Messi's salary from the club is the main one. So, having signed a contract with Barcelona, Messi's annual income has become an average of 100 million. Advertising activities of a football player are not particularly worried. Of course, he has partnerships with Adidas, Sumsung, Chery, PepsiCo and other brands, which brings him another 10-11 million a year. But this is not of paramount importance for Messi.
Moreover, it is believed that the athlete was not looking for a club in which he would be well paid. He wanted to play with a team that could win. Just a game and just a talent that brought the unknown footballer to the top of the Forbes list.
At the end of the year, Ronaldo lost the championship to Messi, but not by much - by $ 2 million. As a result, Cristiano's average annual income was 108 million. As noted above, Cristiano is actively involved in advertising activities. Ronaldo has a 1 billion life contract with Nike. In 2017 - 2018, the footballer earned 61 million on the field, and 47 million from investors.
Cristiano loudly declares himself as the "most brilliant" football player and person. Ideal life, career, car - all these attributes of the player increase income exponentially.
The mixed martial arts fighter received a $ 100 million fee for the same fight that earned Mayweather a record salary. The star of the ring did not fight in vain - now Macregor has luxurious mansions on two continents - in Dublin and Las Vegas. Konon has never been shy about his love of big money and luxury cars.
Own vehicle fleet includes eight luxury cars - Mercedes, Cadillac, BMW. No one predicted untold wealth for the 29-year-old Irishman. He grew up in a poor family and studied plumbing. Perhaps living until adulthood in one of Ireland's most crime-ridden cities has shaped a fighting spirit and a desire for resounding victories.
The Brazilian forward, with an average annual income of $ 90 million, has become the most valuable player in the world according to the Center for Sports Research, beating Messi, Ronaldo and Beckham. The CIES Football Observatory focuses on the immediate value of the player on the football field, leaving the money of investors and advertising agencies unaccounted for.
That is, the evaluation criteria are the number of goals scored, participation in championships, and the average time spent in the club. The professional value of the player is taken into account in terms of the buyer's interest. According to estimates, the last contract with the Paris Saint-Germain club will bring Neymar 350 million until 2022.
The Cleveland Cavaliers NBA player is the leader among the highest paid basketball players in the world. LeBron's secret of success lies not so much in his professional skills as in his skillful marketing strategy. Since 2006, LeBron has founded LRMR Ventures and SpringHill Entertainment. In 2015 - media company Uninterrupted. Business revenues in 2018 were $ 53 million, while direct play on the field brought the basketball player $ 35 million.
In recent years, James has tried to move away from the athlete-brand model, but has maintained partnerships with Nike, Coca-Cola and other high-profile manufacturers. So, he is on the list of the richest basketball players for the fourth year with an annual income of $ 88 million.
Tennis is considered the most profitable sport in terms of marketing. The explanation is simple. Firstly, it is a year-round game, and secondly, it is popular everywhere. Thirdly, true fans are very wealthy people. Roger Federer has won $ 116 million in prize money throughout his illustrious career. But this amount is infinitely small compared to investment and ad revenue. Federer's long-term partners include Nike, Credit Seuss, Moet & Chandon.
For the first time among the high-paid basketball players in the NBA, a player from the Golden State Warriors has appeared. Stefan's salary is $ 12 million, which puts him in 83rd place among the NBA players. In addition, the title of a successful athlete is not yet familiar to young Stefan.
But Curry's ad revenue tripled after signing with the NBA. In 2018, Stefan's combined income was $ 77 million, making the young basketball player one of the top ten richest athletes.
The American football athlete holds the record for the highest income among NFL players. So, the net salary is $ 30 million, guaranteed payments from the club in the region of $ 100 million, bonuses are equal to 46.5. Over the past year, thanks to a well-signed contract with the Atlanta Falcons, Matt has reached the $ 67.3 million mark, which secured him a place of honor at Forbes.
Another athlete of popular football in America earned $ 59 million in 2018. thanks to the collaboration with Nike and PepsiCo, as well as the signed contract with Detroit Lions until 2022.
This is what the TOP 10 most expensive and famous athletes of our time look like, from which it is clear that not a single Russian citizen has yet managed to conquer the "Olympic peak", but not a single player from the rating, except Mayweather, bears the title of the richest athletes in history.
TOP 10 richest athletes in the history of the world
In this top ten people with billions of dollars, the stars, which are legendary and who are trying to be equal to all newcomers. There will be no facts from their history, but only bare numbers that the modern leaders of Forbes will envy. Their achievements in dollar terms in the following ranking:
The fortune at the end of 2016 is estimated at $ 1.7 billion. Earnings from playing in the NBA amounted to 93 million - this is an absolute record among basketball players. The rest is advertising. Nike still pays Michael about $ 100 million a year due to the phenomenal success of the Jordan brand.
Who can argue that golf is profitable in advertising? No wonder they say that golfers are the richest people on the planet. Tiger Woods is breathing on the back of the leader of the rating with a combined fortune of $ 1.65 billion. Moreover, half of this fabulous sum is advertising revenue. It should be noted that at present the golfer continues his sports career, despite the recent injury.
The career of the famous golfer lasted half a century - also, a kind of record. When you add up salary, brand and sponsor revenues, Palmer made $ 1.35 billion. Unfortunately, the athlete recently died, but his name will forever take pride of place in the history of golf.
Jed retired in the golf world in 2004 and has been in business ever since. The author of several hundred projects, managed to make a fortune - $ 1.15 billion.
Schumacher is a household name, so there is no point in talking about career achievements. The seven-time world champion had a record salary of 80 million a year. During his life, the famous Schumacher became a dollar billionaire, earning 1 billion in races.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo (32 years old, Portugal). Football - Real Madrid
Total Income - $ 93 Million (Salary - 58, Ads - 35)
Ronaldo won the Champions League for the second time in a row, won the Ballon d'Or five times (the prize for the best footballer in Europe), extended his contract with Real Madrid and signed a lifetime partnership with Nike, estimated at approximately $ 1 billion.
2. LeBron James (32 years old, USA). Basketball - Cleveland Cavaliers
Total income - 86.2 million (salary - 31.2, advertising - 55)
James has extended his contract with the club for three years, during which he will receive $ 100 million and, like Ronaldo, got a lifetime deal with Nike.
3. Lionel Messi (30 years old, Argentina). Football - Barcelona
Total income - 80 million (Salary - 53, Advertising - 27)
Messi, who in Lately pursued by failures on the field, but the club, which is still confidently leading in the current championship in Spain, has renewed to a lifetime contract with Adidas.
4. Roger Federer (36 years old, Switzerland). Tennis
Total income - 64 million (Salary - 6, Advertising - 58)
Federer won the Australian Open, his first Grand Slam title since 2012, and then Wimbledon, after which he signed several lucrative advertising contracts. Including the manufacturer of pasta and sauces Barilla for as much as 40 million.
5. Kevin Durant (29 years old, USA). Basketball - Golden State Warriors
Total income - 60.6 million (salary - 26.6, advertising - 34)
On the eve of last season, Durant signed a two-year contract with the Warriors for $ 54 million, and in this he became the NBA champion and the most valuable player in the final. Understandably, the guy continues to clip coupons from multi-year deals with many global brands, including Nike, BBVA, Panini, and more.
6. Andrew Luck (28 years old, USA). American Football - Indianapolis Colts
Total income - 50 million (Salary - 47, Advertising - 3)
Back in 2016, Lak became the highest paid player in the league (123 million in 5 years, including the 32 million signing bonus). Marketers of large brands are just looking at it.
10 largest contracts in world sports
7. Rory McIlroy (28 years old, Northern Ireland). Golf
Total income - 50 million (Salary - 16, Advertising - 34)
In April 2017, one of the strongest golfers in the world, the winner of four "majors" (the most prestigious tournaments of men's professional golf), extended his partnership with Nike for 10 years, which will bring him about 200 million.
8. Stephen Curry (29 years old, USA). Basketball - Golden State Warriors
Total income - 47.3 million (Salary - 12.3, Advertising - 35)
The 2017 NBA champion signed a new contract with the club in the summer: $ 201 million over the next five years, so in the next ranking he will surely rise several steps up. In the meantime, Curry can take comfort in the fact that his ad revenue has tripled in the past 12 months.
9. James Harden (28 years old, USA). Basketball - Houston Rockets
Total income - 46.6 million (Salary - 26.6, advertising - 20)
Harden has a very lucrative deal with the club (118 million over four seasons) and has an excellent in-demand rating in the ad market, with about a dozen companies using the image of one of the NBA's most technical players.
10. Lewis Hamilton (32 years old, Great Britain). Auto racing - "Formula 1"
Total income - 46 million (Salary - 38, Advertising - 8)
Hamilton won the Formula 1 Championship for the fourth time in his career in 2017 and remains the most popular racer in the world, hunted by major advertisers.
The American business magazine Forbes recently published its annual ranking of the 100 highest paid athletes in the world. Experts have calculated the earnings of the players by adding up their prize money, salaries and income from advertising contracts for the period from June 2018 to June 2019.
The top 100 includes athletes from 25 countries, their combined earnings increased by $ 4 billion, or 5% compared to the previous year.
List of the 100 Richest Athletes of 2019
| Place | Name | Income | Salary | Advertising | Kind of sport |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lionel messi | $ 127 M | $ 92 M | $ 35 M | Football |
| 2 | Cristiano ronaldo | $ 109 M | $ 65 M | $ 44 M | Football |
| 3 | Neymar | $ 105 M | $ 75 M | $ 30 M | Football |
| 4 | Canelo alvarez | $ 94 M | $ 92 M | $ 2 M | Boxing |
| 5 | Roger federer | $ 93.4 M | $ 7.4 M | $ 86 M | Tennis |
| 6 | Russell Wilson | $ 89.5 M | $ 80.5 M | $ 9 M | Football |
| 7 | Aaron rodgers | $ 89.3 M | $ 80.3 M | $ 9 M | Football |
| 8 | Lebron james | $ 89 M | $ 36 M | $ 53 M | Basketball |
| 9 | Stephen curry | $ 79.8 M | $ 37.8 M | $ 42 M | Basketball |
| 10 | Kevin Durant | $ 65.4 M | $ 30.4 M | $ 35 M | Basketball |
| 11 | Tiger woods | $ 63.9 M | $ 9.9 M | $ 54 M | Golf |
| 12 | Ben roethlisberger | $ 55.5 M | $ 54.5 M | $ 1 M | Football |
| 13 | Lewis Hamilton | $ 55 M | $ 45 M | $ 10 M | Auto racing |
| 13 | Anthony joshua | $ 55 M | $ 45 M | $ 10 M | Boxing |
| 13 | Khalil mack | $ 55 M | $ 54 M | $ 1 M | Football |
| 16 | Russell Westbrook | $ 53.7 M | $ 35.7 M | $ 18 M | Basketball |
| 17 | Novak Djokovic | $ 50.6 M | $ 20.6 M | $ 30 M | Tennis |
| 17 | Mike trout | $ 50.6 M | $ 47.6 M | $ 3 M | Baseball |
| 19 | Phil mickelson | $ 48.4 M | $ 12.4 M | $ 36 M | Golf |
| 20 | James harden | $ 47.7 M | $ 30.7 M | $ 17 M | Basketball |
| 21 | Conor McGregor | $ 47 M | $ 32 M | $ 15 M | Mixed fights |
| 22 | DeMarcus Lawrence | $ 46.9 M | $ 46.8 M | $ 150 K | Football |
| 23 | Bryce harper | $ 44.5 M | $ 38 M | $ 6.5 M | Baseball |
| 24 | Chris paul | $ 43.8 M | $ 35.8 M | $ 8 M | Basketball |
| 25 | Kyrie Irving | $ 43.3 M | $ 20.3 M | $ 23 M | Basketball |
| 26 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | $ 43.2 M | $ 24.2 M | $ 19 M | Basketball |
| 27 | Drew brees | $ 42.4 M | $ 26.4 M | $ 16 M | Football |
| 28 | Aaron donald | $ 41.4 M | $ 40.9 M | $ 500 K | Football |
| 29 | Damian lillard | $ 41.1 M | $ 28.1 M | $ 13 M | Basketball |
| 30 | Sebastian Vettel | $ 40.3 M | $ 40 M | $ 300 K | Auto racing |
| 31 | Blake griffin | $ 39.1 M | $ 32.1 M | $ 7 M | Basketball |
| 32 | Rory McIlroy | $ 39 M | $ 8 M | $ 31 M | Golf |
| 33 | Paul george | $ 38.6 M | $ 30.6 M | $ 8 M | Basketball |
| 34 | Brandin cooks | $ 38 M | $ 37.5 M | $ 500 K | Football |
| 35 | Kei nishikori | $ 37.3 M | $ 4.3 M | $ 33 M | Tennis |
| 36 | Nick foles | $ 35.8 M | $ 33.8 M | $ 2 M | Football |
| 37 | Rafael Nadal | $ 35 M | $ 9 M | $ 26 M | Tennis |
| 38 | Manny machado | $ 34.8 M | $ 34.3 M | $ 500 K | Baseball |
| 39 | Anthony davis | $ 34.6 M | $ 25.6 M | $ 9 M | Basketball |
| 40 | Gordon Hayward | $ 34.3 M | $ 31.3 M | $ 3 M | Basketball |
| 40 | Klay thompson | $ 34.3 M | $ 19.3 M | $ 15 M | Basketball |
| 42 | Carmelo anthony | $ 34 M | $ 28 M | $ 6 M | Basketball |
| 43 | Kyle lowry | $ 33.8 M | $ 32.3 M | $ 1.5 M | Basketball |
| 44 | Paul pogba | $ 33 M | $ 29 M | $ 4 M | Football |
| 45 | DeMar DeRozan | $ 32.8 M | $ 27.8 M | $ 5 M | Basketball |
| 46 | Andres Iniesta | $ 32.5 M | $ 30 M | $ 2.5 M | Football |
| 47 | Justin rose | $ 32.4 M | $ 18.4 M | $ 14 M | Golf |
| 48 | Joel embiid | $ 32.1 M | $ 25.6 M | $ 6.5 M | Basketball |
| 49 | Al horford | $ 32 M | $ 29 M | $ 3 M | Basketball |
| 50 | David price | $ 31.7 M | $ 30.7 M | $ 950 K | Baseball |
| 51 | Mike Conley, Jr. | $ 31.5 M | $ 30.5 M | $ 1 M | Basketball |
| 52 | Jordan spieth | $ 31.1 M | $ 2.1 M | $ 29 M | Golf |
| 53 | Alexis Sánchez | $ 30.8 M | $ 28.3 M | $ 2.5 M | Football |
| 54 | Clayton kershaw | $ 30.7 M | $ 30 M | $ 700 K | Baseball |
| 55 | Kylian Mbappe | $ 30.6 M | $ 26.6 M | $ 4 M | Football |
| 56 | Deontay wilder | $ 30.5 M | $ 30 M | $ 500 K | Boxing |
| 57 | Trey flowers | $ 30.2 M | $ 30 M | $ 250 K | Football |
| 57 | Mesut ozil | $ 30.2 M | $ 23.7 M | $ 6.5 M | Football |
| 59 | Paul millsap | $ 30.1 M | $ 29.6 M | $ 500 K | Basketball |
| 60 | Matt ryan | $ 29.8 M | $ 24.8 M | $ 5 M | Football |
| 61 | Justin verlander | $ 29.5 M | $ 28.5 M | $ 1 M | Baseball |
| 62 | Yoenis cespedes | $ 29.4 M | $ 29 M | $ 400 K | Baseball |
| 63 | Miguel Cabrera | $ 29.2 M | $ 28.7 M | $ 500 K | Baseball |
| 63 | Serena williams | $ 29.2 M | $ 4.2 M | $ 25 M | Tennis |
| 65 | Geno atkins | $ 29.1 M | $ 29 M | $ 75 K | Football |
| 66 | Oscar | $ 29 M | $ 27 M | $ 2 M | Football |
| 66 | Earl thomas | $ 29 M | $ 28.5 M | $ 500 K | Football |
| 68 | Jake arrieta | $ 28.8 M | $ 28.3 M | $ 500 K | Baseball |
| 68 | C.J. McCollum | $ 28.8 M | $ 25.8 M | $ 3 M | Basketball |
| 70 | Kawhi leonard | $ 28.7 M | $ 23.2 M | $ 5.5 M | Basketball |
| 71 | Kevin love | $ 28.4 M | $ 24.4 M | $ 4 M | Basketball |
| 72 | Justin houston | $ 28.2 M | $ 28 M | $ 200 K | Football |
| 73 | Albert pujols | $ 28 M | $ 27.3 M | $ 700 K | Baseball |
| 74 | Dwight howard | $ 27.8 M | $ 24.3 M | $ 3.5 M | Basketball |
| 75 | Antoine griezmann | $ 27.7 M | $ 23.2 M | $ 4.5 M | Football |
| 76 | Jrue Holiday | $ 27.6 M | $ 27.1 M | $ 500 K | Basketball |
| 77 | Giancarlo stanton | $ 27.4 M | $ 25.4 M | $ 2 M | Baseball |
| 78 | Steven adams | $ 27.2 M | $ 24.2 M | $ 3 M | Basketball |
| 79 | Gareth bale | $ 27.1 M | $ 20.6 M | $ 6.5 M | Football |
| 79 | Bradley beal | $ 27.1 M | $ 25.6 M | $ 1.5 M | Basketball |
| 81 | Tom brady | $ 27 M | $ 15 M | $ 12 M | Football |
| 82 | Andrew luck | $ 26.9 M | $ 24.1 M | $ 2.8 M | Football |
| 82 | C.J. Mosley | $ 26.9 M | $ 26.7 M | $ 150 K | Football |
| 84 | Felix Hernandez | $ 26.6 M | $ 26.3 M | $ 300 K | Baseball |
| 85 | Odell Beckham, Jr. | $ 26.5 M | $ 21.5 M | $ 5 M | Football |
| 85 | Otto Porter, Jr. | $ 26.5 M | $ 26 M | $ 500 K | Basketball |
| 87 | Andre Drummond | $ 26.4 M | $ 25.4 M | $ 1 M | Basketball |
| 88 | Harrison barnes | $ 26.3 M | $ 24.8 M | $ 1.5 M | Basketball |
| 89 | Nikola Jokic | $ 26.2 M | $ 25.5 M | $ 750 K | Basketball |
| 89 | Hassan Whiteside | $ 26.2 M | $ 25.4 M | $ 750 K | Basketball |
| 91 | Andrew Wiggins | $ 26.1 M | $ 25.5 M | $ 600 K | Basketball |
| 92 | Manny pacquiao | $ 26 M | $ 24 M | $ 2 M | Boxing |
| 93 | Saquon barkley | $ 25.8 M | $ 21.3 M | $ 4.5 M | Football |
| 94 | J.D. Martinez | $ 25.6 M | $ 24.9 M | $ 700 K | Baseball |
| 95 | Gennady Golovkin | $ 25.5 M | $ 23 M | $ 2.5 M | Boxing |
| 96 | Joey votto | $ 25.4 M | $ 25.1 M | $ 300 K | Baseball |
| 97 | Jon Lester | $ 25.3 M | $ 25 M | $ 300 K | Baseball |
| 98 | Marc gasol | $ 25.1 M | $ 24.1 M | $ 1 M | Basketball |
| 98 | Mohamed salah | $ 25.1 M | $ 16.1 M | $ 9 M | Football |
| 100 | Virat kohli | $ 25 M | $ 4 M | $ 21 M | Cricket |
10 most expensive athletes in the world
10. Kevin Durant (basketball) - $ 65.4 million
The basketball star is not yet the richest athlete in the world, but is confidently in the top ten richest sports, ahead of number 11 (Tiger Woods) by $ 1.5 million.
In 2018, Durant made $ 35 million from sponsors (Google, Alaska Air Group, Nike, and others), as well as through investments in more than 30 companies.
9. Stephen Curry (basketball) - $ 79.8 million
The Golden State Warriors point guard has been one of the most sought-after athletes in the world in recent years. In 2017, he signed a $ 200 million contract.
In addition to his sports activities, Curry also owns the production company Unanimous media. And his sponsorship list includes Chase, Nissan Motor, Under Armor, and more.
8. LeBron James (basketball) - $ 89 million
The Los Angeles Lakers forward is considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time, and his entry into the 2019 World's Highest-Paid Athlete List certainly confirms that belief.
According to ESPN insider Adrian Voinarovski, LeBron's team will face the Clippers at Staples Center in December. This will be the NBA's premier Christmas game.
7. Aaron Rogers (American football) - $ 89.3 million
The two-time MVP winner was ranked 7th on Forbes' 2019 list of the richest athletes in the world. Rogers signed a four-year, $ 134 million deal with the Green Bay Packers last August. He also acquired a minority stake in the NBA Milwaukee Bucks.
6. Russell Wilson (American football) - $ 89.5 million
The American footballer recently became the highest paid player in the NFL after signing a four-year, $ 140 million deal with the Seattle Seahawks. Wilson led the Seahawks to a Super Bowl victory in the 2013-14 season.
In addition to his $ 80.5 million salary, Wilson received $ 9 million from his partners: Wilson Sporting Goods, Amazon, Alaska Air Group, Bose, Mercedes-Benz and Nike.
5. Roger Federer (tennis) - $ 93.4 million
The Swiss professional tennis player is currently ranked third in the world in men's tennis. Federer is now nearing the end of his career, however he was number one for 6 consecutive years and won 19 grand prix in his career.
Federer earned $ 86 million from partners Credit Suisse, Mercedes-Benz and Rolex, making him the highest paid athlete in advertising contracts. And Japanese sports giant Uniqlo signed a 10-year deal with the tennis star last year for $ 300 million.
4. Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (boxing) - $ 94 million
One of boxing's brightest stars is also the richest athlete in his sport. He earned $ 92 million from in-ring performances, and Alvarez earned another $ 2 million through advertising deals with DAZN and Everlast.
DAZN pledged $ 365 million in 2018 to fund Alvarez's next 11 fights. The first two fights on the streaming service earned the Mexican boxer roughly $ 50 million, and future fights could potentially be worth $ 35 million each.
3. Neymar (soccer) - $ 105 million
Former teammate Messi and the Paris Saint-Germain star is ranked third among the richest athletes in the world.
A significant part of his income comes from numerous advertising contracts with DAZN, Beats Electronics, Electronic Arts, Gillette, Mastercard, McDonald's, Nike, Red Bull, TCL and many others.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo (soccer) - $ 109 million
One of them currently plays for Juventus, having transferred there from Real Madrid in 2018.
Ronaldo is considered the best footballer in the world and is constantly fighting Lionel Messi for this title. In fact, over the past few years, these two players are the only ones to have won the Player of the Year award.
Ronaldo also boasts an incredible following on social media. Recently, he has become the most popular sports celebrity on Instagram, with almost 400 million followers there.
Cristiano's impressive $ 44 million of the total has come from advertising deals with Nike, Herbalife, Altice, DAZN, MTG, Electronic Arts and many more.
1. Lionel Messi (soccer) - $ 127 million
Meanwhile, Lionel Messi topped the list of the world's highest paid athletes for the first time, replacing boxer Floyd Mayweather - the leader of 2018.
And even Cristiano Ronaldo, who made one of the last season, became only the second on the list.
The world's highest paid athlete earned about $ 35 million from advertising partners such as Adidas, MasterCard, Gatorade, Huawei and PepsiCo.
Significantly, footballers have made it to the top three richest athletes for the first time since 1990 - that is, since Forbes began tracking sports stars' earnings.
Forbes has released an annual list of the 100 highest paid athletes in the world. Most of the places in the top ten were "captured" by basketball players, however, losing the first position to the star of Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo. And the only woman in the ranking was Serena Williams (51st place).
This is how it looks top 10 richest athletes of 2017.
10. Lewis Hamilton (auto racing)
Income - $ 46 million
Few drivers entered Formula 1 as brilliantly as Lewis Hamilton. His sensational run in 2007, in which Hamilton lost just one point to champion Kimi Raikkonen, remains one of the most remarkable rookie campaigns in history. In the years that followed, the British driver won three world championships and established himself as one of the most aggressive and tough riders in the world. Simply put, when it comes to driving a Formula 1 car, there are very few areas in which Hamilton is not an absolute champion. He has a € 140 million contract with the Mercedes factory team until the end of 2018.
Income - $ 46.6 million
The NBA superstar playing for the Houston Rockets is famous not only for his victories, but also for his luxurious beard, which became a popular print for T-shirts, and inspired songs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMbibT7nhEg&feature= player_embedded #!) and even has a separate Twitter account. It makes the 27-year-old athlete look older than he really is. Harden has a $ 200 million advertising contract with Adidas.
Income - $ 47.3 million
In May 2016, Curry became the first person to be called the Most Valuable Player in NBA history by unanimous vote, and one of 11 players to receive the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award two years in a row. Curry has contracts with several companies, including sportswear and accessories maker Under Armor and Unilever (in this case, the brave basketball player advertises Degree men's deodorant).
7. Rory McIlroy (golf)
Earned - $ 50 million
Along with Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, McIlroy is one of three players to win three Majors by age 25. This Northern Ireland golfer is the current face of EA Sports' PGA Tour series.
6. Andrew Luck (American football)
Received for 2016-2017. - $ 50 million
The Indianapolis Colts quarterback. In 2016, Lak renewed his contract with his club for six years. For this he will receive $ 140 million, which makes the athlete the highest paid player in the league.
Annual earnings - $ 60.6 million
The NBA superforward has multi-million dollar advertising deals with Under Armor, Foot Locker and Nike. He's in Rio. At the same time, the black giant is known not only as one of the best basketball players of all time, but also as a philanthropist, artist and writer. And in 2012, he tried his hand at cinema, appearing in the film "Like a Thunderbolt". True, the film received cool reviews from both viewers and critics, but this is not Durant's fault.
4. Roger Federer (tennis)
Financial proceeds - $ 64 million
The only tennis player on the 2017 list of the richest celebrities in the world of sports, known for his good deeds. He founded the Federer Foundation, which helps children in the world's poorest regions. Federer also has the nickname "Sandwich Man" in his native Switzerland for a large number of sponsorship contracts. Its advertising box includes such giants as Mercedes-Benz, Credit Suisse, Rolex, Gillette and Nike.
Income - $ 80 million
The three highest earning athletes of 2017 are opened by the captain of Barcelona and the eternal rival of Cristiano Ronaldo for the title of the best football player in the world. Messi has played in three World Cups (2006, 2010 and 2014) and three America's Football Cups (2007, 2011 and 2015). In the summer of 2008, he also played at the Beijing Olympics, and returned home with a gold medal. Messi earns his millions not only on the football field, he has advertising contracts with Adidas, Turkish Airlines, Lays and other brands.
2. LeBron James (basketball)
Earned - $ 86.2
The best player in the NBA is also the highest paid basketball player in the world, and has every chance to press the current king of the rich sports rankings next year. Not bad for a kid who got into the 2003 NBA draft straight out of high school. James has a lifetime contract with Nike, as well as agreements with Coca-Cola and Kia.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo (football)
Received in the last year - $ 93 million
Superstar Cristiano Ronaldo topping the Forbrs' Highest-Paid Sports Stars rankings was expected, given that he had arguably the most successful 12 months in football history. In addition to his recent victory in the UEFA Champions League, Ronaldo also won the title of the best player in the domestic La Liga, and won the European Championship with the Portuguese national team. And in December 2016, the footballer was awarded the Golden Ball as the best player in the world. He renewed his contract with Real Madrid, which will pay Cristiano over $ 50 million a year for the next four years.
