There is a strong soccer presence in Sportico's ranking of the world's top paid athletes, with both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the top five
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Sportico's top 100 athletes includes 12 soccer playersLionel Messi the only MLS presence in top 100Cristiano Ronaldo ($260million) makes nearly double No.2 Stephen CurryGet the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowWHAT HAPPENED?
The highest-paid athletes in spots list featured a strong soccer contingent, with 12 total and five of the top 10 participating in the sport. Al-Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo leads the way, pulling in $260 million annually. Lionel Messi, of Inter Miami, comes in at No.4, with $135 million of total earnings. Neymar (No.6), Karim Benzema (No.8) and Kylian Mbappe (No.9) round out the top 10. There are no women athletes or American soccer players on the list.
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The top 100 athletes earned just over $6 billion last year, a rise of 14 percent from the previous 12 months. A quarter of the earnings came from endorsements.
Top 10 Earners:
Name
Earnings (in $M)
Cristiano Ronaldo
260.0
Stephen Curry
153.8
Tyson Fury
147.0
Lionel Messi
135.0
LeBron James
133.2
Neymar
133.0
Oleksandr Usyk
122.0
Karim Benzema
116.0
Kylian Mbappé
110.0
Jon Rahm
105.8
The list includes a strong presence from the emerging Saudi Pro League. Of the 12 soccer players on the list, five either played or currently play in the Middle East's top division. Al-Nassr and Real Madrid are the two clubs that appear the most often, with two players apiece in the ranking.
Getty Images SportDID YOU KNOW?
Ronaldo has consistently been among the top earners in the world. He has made over $100m for eight straight years, and more than $200m for two years in a row. Messi pulled in the most from his endorsements, with $75m going into his bank account from various deals.
WHAT'S NEXT FOR RONALDO, MESSI
Messi's Inter play in their first competitive fixture of 2025 when they travel to Sporting KC on Feb. 18. Ronaldo's Al-Nassr plays in the AFC Champions League Monday.