The 10 highest-paid athletes in the world

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is a two-time NFL MVP known for his dual-threat abilities. During the 2023 season, he threw 307 completions for 3,678 yards and 24 passing touchdowns, ESPN reported. He also rushed for 821 yards and five touchdowns. Jackson led the Ravens to a 13-4 record, finishing as AFC North Division champs.

In May 2023, he signed a five-year, $260 million contract extension that included a massive $72.5 million signing bonus.

Forbes reported that Jackson earns an estimated $2 million outside the NFL thanks to his growing business portfolio, which includes a clothing line called Era 8, a production company, and a soul-food restaurant based in his hometown of Pompano Beach, Florida. Jackson also works with companies like Oakley and StatusPro.

Stephen Curry is a 3-point specialist who's undeniably changed the sport of basketball. Throughout his career, Curry and the Golden State Warriors have won four NBA championships. He won the 2022 NBA Finals MVP Award and is also a two-time NBA MVP, four-time All-NBA 1st-team selection, and the record-holder for most regular season 3-pointers of all time, with 3,747 and counting, ESPN reported.

His success yielded a lucrative four-year contract extension with Golden State in 2021 worth $215 million, Forbes reported, giving him an estimated annual salary of $52 million.

Off the court, Curry has an ongoing collaboration with Under Armour for The Curry Brand, which includes footwear, clothing, and accessories. He also has major sponsorship deals with brands like Subway, Rakuten, and Google for an estimated $50 million in additional earnings.

2022 Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema is a four-time French Player of the Year and a current member of Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League. The second all-time leading goal scorer at Real Madrid, Benzema is just one of many players to jump from a top-five European league to Saudi Arabia during the 2023 summer transfer window, marking an unprecedented mass exodus.

Forbes estimates his on-field earnings with Al-Ittihad equal $100 million, while his off-field earnings reach $6 million thanks to sponsors like Adidas, Volkswagen, and Michael Kors Holdings.

As Brazil's all-time leading male goal scorer, Neymar has scored 79 goals in 128 international appearances. This puts him over Brazilian soccer legend Pelé, who had 77 goals during his career with the Brazilian national team. Neymar is also the highest-scoring Brazilian player in Champions League history, with 43 goals in the competition during his tenures at FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, per UEFA.com. Like Benzema, he transitioned from European soccer to the Saudi Pro League, joining Al-Hilal in 2023.

In addition to his $80 million in compensation, Neymar reportedly received a mansion, luxury cars, private jet access, and special permission to live with his girlfriend as part of his deal with Al-Hilal, Forbes reported. He also earns an estimated $28 million from deals with Skims, Puma, Red Bull, and more.

Kylian Mbappé has the world at his feet. At 25, he's already won the World Cup and reached the final of another, been named French Player of the Year three times, and has won the French Ligue 1 seven times, once with Monaco and six times with Paris Saint-Germain. Now, as his contract with PSG nears expiration in June, all eyes are on the French captain's next move.

In his final year with the club, he earned $90 million for his on-field performance. Mbappé also earns an additional $20 million from sponsorships with RIMOWA, Nike, Oakley, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton; his graphic novel, "Je m'appelle Kylian;" and his production company, Zebra Valley.

Nicknamed the "Greek Freak," Giannis Antetokounmpo is an eight-time NBA All-Star and two-time league MVP who, in 2021, helped lead the Milwaukee Bucks to their first NBA Championship in 50 years. That same year, he was named to the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team alongside league legends like Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Yet Antetokounmpo earns more money off the court than he does on it. Forbes reported that he earns $46 million from the Bucks and $65 million from partnerships and sponsorships with brands like Starry and Amazon, his sixth signature shoe with Nike, and his production company.

Los Angeles Lakers power forward LeBron James is the all-time leading scorer in NBA history and the fourth all-time assists leader with 40,474 points and 11,009 assists, ESPN reported. He is a four-time NBA Champion, four-time Finals MVP, four-time league MVP, and 20-time All-Star. James has also made his mark internationally, winning two Olympic gold medals, and will pursue another this summer in Paris.

As the first active NBA player to become a billionaire and highest earning athlete off the court, James has certainly seen his fair share of contracts. For the 2023-2024 season, he signed a two-year maximum veteran contract extension with the Lakers worth about $99 million, and Forbes reports his annual on-field earnings as $48.2 million. Meanwhile, he earned $80 million from endorsement deals with PepsiCo, Nike, Beats by Dre, Taco Bell, and DraftKings. Forbes reports that one of James' key business strategies is to take equity in brands he works with, increasing his earnings.

Lionel Messi is widely regarded as the greatest soccer player of all time, and for good reason. The Argentine forward is an eight-time Ballon d'Or winner with more than 800 goals scored for club and country. In 2022, the all-time goal scorer and appearance maker for Argentina led his nation to a long-awaited World Cup victory, Goal.com reported. The following year, the former Barcelona star brought his talents stateside to David Beckham's Inter Miami in MLS, helping the team become the second-most valuable franchise in the league with a value of $1.03 billion, Forbes reports.

For his efforts, Messi reportedly earns $65 million from his salary, signing bonus, and Inter Miami stake. It's worth noting that his guaranteed salary of $20.4 million alone is more than the total pay of 25 MLS rosters, The Athletic reported. Off the field, he earns $70 million from sponsorships with Adidas, Apple, Konami, Gatorade, Mastercard, and more.

With wins at the 2023 US Open and Masters Tournament, Rahm was one of the major golf stars who switched from the PGA Tour to Saudi-backed LIV Golf in December 2023. The Spanish golfer has 11 PGA Tour wins and eight victories on the European Tour.

Rahm's LIV contract was reportedly worth $350 million guaranteed, and Forbes estimates he received half of this guarantee upfront. This means Rahm likely received $175 million from LIV for signing, as well as another $23 million in prize money and other bonuses from both LIV and the PGA Tour. As of May 13, Rahm has earned $6.6 million in prize money in 2024. He also earns $20 million in endorsements from Callaway Golf, Mercedes-Benz, and Rolex.

Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest-paid athlete in the world for the fourth time in his career and was the first active team sport athlete to earn over $1 billion, Forbes reported. A five-time Ballon d'Or winner, Ronaldo has scored over 850 goals for club and country, making him one of the most prolific goal-scorers in soccer history. In December 2022, he transferred from Manchester United to the Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr. As of May 21, 2024, ESPN reports that he leads the league this season with 33 goals.

His transfer resulted in an annual salary of $200 million from Al-Nassr. He also earns an estimated $60 million from other projects and deals, such as his CR7-branded clothing, accessories, hotels, and gyms, as well as sponsorships from Nike, Herbalife, and Unilever.