Revealed: The ten highest-paid athletes in the world according to Forbes
Forbes’ Magazine have revealed the ten highest-paid athletes over the last year taking into account all prize money, salaries, endorsements and bonuses earned between May 1, 2020, and May 1, 2021.
According to the financial experts, the ten highest-paid athletes in the world took home pretax gross earnings of $1.05 billion during the past 12 months, 28% more than last year’s top earners.
The ten highest-paid athletes in the world
10 Kevin Durant – $75 million
Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant has become a full-blown media mogul with Boardroom and his firm Thirty Five Ventures. Awa from the court Durant was an executive producer of Two Distant Strangers, which took home the Oscar for best live-action short film last month, and he purchased a stake in MLS’s Philadelphia Union last year. Durant also cashed in last year when Uber bought Postmates, having invested roughly $1 million in the startup delivery service in 2016 at a discounted entry price.
9 Tom Brady – $76 million
Tom Brady just turned in the most lucrative year of his storied career despite turning 43 during the period. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback added endorsement deals with eyewear maker Christopher Cloos and apparel juggernaut Fanatics while earning mega-bucks as a sought-after speaker on the virtual circuit and as a commercial pitchman. A seventh Super Bowl title certainly didn’t hurt Brady, who had already dipped his toe into entrepreneurship with his wellness brand TB12, recently launched a film production company and an NFT platform.
8 Lewis Hamilton – $82 million
After racing to his sixth Formula 1 championship in seven seasons in 2020, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton lands in the top ten for only the second time in his career. The record-breaking F1 icon had placed tenth in 2017 with his $46 million worth of earnings. His 11 race wins last season netted him healthy bonus payments to go with an endorsement stable that includes Tommy Hilfiger, Monster Energy and Puma. Hamilton is also set to launch a team on the Extreme E racing series.
7 Roger Federer – $90 million
Roger Federer made nearly all of his $90 million in earnings from sponsorships with brands like Rolex, Credit Suisse and Uniqlo. Federer’s efforts on tour wound up costing him more than he earned in winnings but his sponsors carried the day. The tennis legend’s biggest payday yet may come from his stake in Swiss athletic apparel company On, which is reportedly eyeing an autumn 2021 IPO.
6 Neymar – $95 million
PSG and Brazil superstar Neymar’s 282 million followers across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter make him the third-most-popular athlete on social media, behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi—and make him a major draw for the world’s biggest brands. Last year, he announced an early exit from his contract with Nike’s Jordan Brand and became a brand ambassador for Puma, with a signature version of its King shoes. In April, Epic Games introduced the avid video gamer into its blockbuster game Fortnite with an in-game skin and a competition to win a pair of his shoes.
5 Lebron James – $96.5 million
Lakers and NBA legend LeBron James secured the bag in 2020/21, with NBA-record earnings total followed a fourth championship in October. He’s not slowing down, either: The 36-year-old looks as dominant as ever on the court, is debuting as a Hollywood leading man with the July release of Space Jam: A New Legacy and boasts a new deal with PepsiCo after leaving longtime partner Coca-Cola. He also recently purchased a small stake in Fenway Sports Group, which owns the Boston Red Sox, Liverpool FC and Roush Fenway Racing.
4 Dak Prescott – $107.5 million
The $66 million signing bonus that came with Dak Prescott’s four-year, $160 million contract extension with the Dallas Cowboys pushes him into the $100 million club as he returns from an ankle injury. The quarterback of the world’s most valuable sports team, whose endorsement portfolio already includes Sleep Number, 7/11 and DirecTV is well-placed for some serious future earnings.
3 Cristiano Ronaldo – $120 million
CRonaldo became the first person in the world to reach 500 million followers across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter in February and followed that up a month later by surpassing Brazilian legend Pelé’s all-time goal tally, reaching 770 across all competitions with a hat trick in a Juventus win over Cagliari. The 36-year-old, whose four-year contract is worth an average of $64 million annually and expires in 2022, has a lifetime deal with Nike and is behind the CR7 business of branded clothing, accessories, hotels and gyms.
2 Lionel Messi – $130 million
Lionel Messi kept the world on tenterhooks last year with his failed attempt to leave Barcelona, a melodrama later punctuated by a leaked contract that showed the cash-strapped club is paying him far more than previously thought. Messi pads that astronomical salary with sponsorships including a lifetime deal with Adidas, as well as a clothing line designed by Ginny Hilfiger, sister of Tommy Hilfiger. Last month, Messi sent signed jerseys to Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac to help secure 50,000 Covid-19 vaccines ahead of the Copa América soccer tournament.
1 Conor McGregor – $180 million
‘The Notorious’ Conor McGregor’s appearance at UFC 257 in January wasn’t the triumphant return he had hoped for—Dustin Poirier knocked him out in his first UFC fight since January 2020—but he collected an estimated $22 million for his time. The real moneymaker was his sale of whiskey brand Proper No. Twelve, boltsering an endorsement portfolio that includes DraftKings, the video game Dystopia: Contest of Heroes and the lifestyle brand Roots of Fight.
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