Forbes has released the 2024 version of their annual highest-paid athletes list worldwide. The 50-man list contains some of the most accomplished names from all over the planet starring in different sports. According to Forbes, these athletes have combined to earn a staggering $3.9 billion since the last list was released in 2023.
Introducing The World’s Highest-Paid Athletes 2024
FULL LIST: https://t.co/7WYIfAwiOa pic.twitter.com/oO6CCyzceV
— Forbes (@Forbes) May 16, 2024
Soccer holds the third-highest representation in the list with eight athletes in the top 50 only behind NBA and the NFL. Stars globally make up their earnings from a combination of their salaries, bonuses, and off-field revenue streams like brand endorsements, social media following, and much more.
Cristiano Ronaldo rules the Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes
Unsurprisingly, Cristiano Ronaldo has secured the number-one spot as the highest-earning athlete in the world. Forbes reports that the Portuguese earned $260 million over the last 12 months owing to his contract with the club, sponsorships, and investments. This figure nearly doubles Ronaldo’s earnings from the figures reported last year ($136 million).
Cristiano Ronaldo lands at No. 1 on our World’s Highest-Paid Athletes list for the second consecutive year, and fourth time in his career, nearly doubling his own record for soccer player earnings set last year. https://t.co/C9JDtzdaUB pic.twitter.com/pZ7Tm7d2Su
— Forbes (@Forbes) May 16, 2024
Topping the Forbes list of the highest-earning athletes in the world is no new achievement for Cristiano Ronaldo. The 39-year-old has landed the top spot four times in his career. The former Real Madrid man has set a record for a soccer player with his earnings of $260 million in the previous year. In 2023, Ronaldo was once again above all others as the highest-paid sportsman on the planet, while in 2022 he held the third place.
Five out of the top ten athletes on the list are soccer stars. Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Neymar Jr., and Karim Benzema join Ronaldo to make soccer the dominating sport on Forbes’ list. However, Spanish golfer Jon Rahm finds himself in second place behind Cristiano Ronaldo with reported earnings of $218 million. The two are the only ones above the $200 million mark this time around.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr contract contributes to more than half of his 2024 earnings
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner shocked the entire world in 2023 by joining the Saudi club, Al Nassr. Since then, Ronaldo has inspired a series of high-profile transfers from Europe to the Middle East. Al Nassr offered Ronaldo a hefty contract containing figures which have never been witnessed before. Along with on-field duties, the Portuguese captain is also assisting the Saudi ambition by promoting their long-term projects.
Here’s Cristiano Ronaldo with Al Nassr shirt after contract signed until June 2025 🚨🇵🇹🇸🇦 #Ronaldo
▫️ Agreement valid for two years and half;
▫️ Total salary will be close to €200m per year, but this includes commercial deal.
It’s the biggest salary ever in football. pic.twitter.com/ZnOg8lY6Wb
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 30, 2022
Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly earns around $200 million owing to his contract with Al Nassr. This figure makes up for around 75% of Ronaldo’s earnings during the previous year. The rest $60 million comes majorly from brands taking advantage of Ronaldo’s massive social media following of 629 million followers on Instagram. With more and more top players being attracted to the Saudi project, it is expected that soccer will dominate the Forbes list even further in the coming years.
