Cristiano Ronaldo leads Forbes’ sport rich list with £206 million

Cristiano Ronaldo has once again claimed the title of the world’s highest-paid athlete, according to Forbes’ latest rankings. 

The 40-year-old Portuguese forward amassed an impressive £206.6 million ($275 million) in earnings over the past year, marking an increase of £11.2 million from 2023. 

This achievement marks the third consecutive year and the fifth time overall that Ronaldo has topped this prestigious list. 

His substantial income is largely attributed to a remarkable £177 million annual salary from his Saudi club Al Nassr, following his departure from Manchester United in December 2022. 

Ronaldo benefits from various sponsorship deals and boasts a massive social media following of 939 million. 

Also , his salary has only been surpassed by Floyd Mayweather, who earned $300 million in 2015 and $275 million in 2018. 

Following Ronaldo, NBA superstar Steph Curry ranked second with £117 million ($156 million), while British boxer Tyson Fury secured third place with an estimated £109 million ($146 million). 

Lionel Messi, Ronaldo’s long-time rival, fell to fifth place with earnings of £101.4 million ($135 million), bolstered by a lucrative sponsorship deal promoting Saudi Arabia as a tourist destination. 

Other notable athletes on the list include Karim Benzema, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant, while Premier League star Erling Haaland ranked 34th with £46.5 million ($62 million) in earnings.