Forbes' list of the world's highest-paid athletes
This is a list of the highest-paid athletes in the world as ranked by Forbes magazine.
All time list (2017)
The following is a list showing the highest-paid athletes of modern times, measured in United States dollars, as of 2017:[1]
The list is only about modern time athletes. For example, Gaius Appuleius Diocles, a Roman Chariot racer is said to have earned 35,863,120 sesterces, by one estimation over $15 billion in today's dollars.[2] This means he would be the best paid athlete of all time, derived from an extrapolation that his wealth would have been enough to fund the entire Roman Army for more than two months, "the apt comparison is what it takes to pay the wages of the American armed forces for the same period."[2]
Rank | Name | Sport | Nation | Earnings Million $ |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Michael Jordan | Basketball | ![]() | 1,850 |
2 | Tiger Woods | Golf | ![]() | 1,700 |
3 | Arnold Palmer | Golf | ![]() | 1,400 |
4 | Jack Nicklaus | Golf | ![]() | 1,200 |
5 | Michael Schumacher | Auto racing | ![]() | 1,000 |
6 | Phil Mickelson | Golf | ![]() | 815 |
7 | Kobe Bryant | Basketball | ![]() | 800 |
David Beckham | Association football | ![]() | ||
9 | Floyd Mayweather Jr. | Boxing | ![]() | 785 |
10 | Shaquille O'Neal | Basketball | ![]() | 735 |
2020 list
The 2020 list:[3]
Rank | Name | Sport | Country | Total | Salary/winnings | Endorsements |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Roger Federer | Tennis | ![]() | $106.3 million | $6.3 million | $100 million |
2 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Association football | ![]() | $105 million | $60 million | $45 million |
3 | Lionel Messi | Association football | ![]() | $104 million | $72 million | $32 million |
4 | Neymar | Association football | ![]() | $95.5 million | $70.5 million | $25 million |
5 | LeBron James | Basketball | ![]() | $88.2 million | $28.2 million | $60 million |
6 | Stephen Curry | Basketball | ![]() | $74.4 million | $30.4 million | $44 million |
7 | Kevin Durant | Basketball | ![]() | $63.9 million | $28.9 million | $35 million |
8 | Tiger Woods | Golf | ![]() | $62.3 million | $2.3 million | $60 million |
9 | Kirk Cousins | American football | ![]() | $60.5 million | $58 million | $2.5 million |
10 | Carson Wentz | American football | ![]() | $59.1 million | $55.1 million | $4 million |
2010–2019 list
The 2010–2019 list:[4]
Rank | Name | Sport | Nation | Earnings |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Floyd Mayweather | Boxing | ![]() | $915 million |
2 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Association football | ![]() | $800 million |
3 | Lionel Messi | Association football | ![]() | $750 million |
4 | LeBron James | Basketball | ![]() | $680 million |
5 | Roger Federer | Tennis | ![]() | $640 million |
6 | Tiger Woods | Golf | ![]() | $615 million |
7 | Phil Mickelson | Golf | ![]() | $480 million |
8 | Manny Pacquiao | Boxing | ![]() | $435 million |
9 | Kevin Durant | Basketball | ![]() | $425 million |
10 | Lewis Hamilton | Auto racing | ![]() | $400 million |
2019 list
The 2019 list:[5]
Rank | Name | Sport | Nation | Total | Salary/Winnings | Endorsements |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Lionel Messi | Association football | ![]() | $127 million | $92 million | $35 million |
2 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Association football | ![]() | $109 million | $65 million | $44 million |
3 | Neymar | Association football | ![]() | $105 million | $75 million | $30 million |
4 | Canelo Álvarez | Boxing | ![]() | $94 million | $92 million | $2 million |
5 | Roger Federer | Tennis | ![]() | $93.4 million | $7.4 million | $86 million |
6 | Russell Wilson | American football | ![]() | $89.5 million | $80.5 million | $9 million |
7 | Aaron Rodgers | American football | ![]() | $89.3 million | $80.3 million | $9 million |
8 | LeBron James | Basketball | ![]() | $89 million | $36 million | $53 million |
9 | Stephen Curry | Basketball | ![]() | $79.8 million | $37.8 million | $42 million |
10 | Kevin Durant | Basketball | ![]() | $65.4 million | $30.4 million | $35 million |
2018 list
The 2018 list:[6]
Rank | Name | Sport | Nation | Total | Salary/Winnings | Endorsements |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Floyd Mayweather | Boxing | ![]() | $285 million | $275 million | $10 million |
2 | Lionel Messi | Association football | ![]() | $111 million | $84 million | $27 million |
3 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Association football | ![]() | $108 million | $61 million | $47 million |
4 | Conor McGregor | Mixed martial arts | ![]() | $99 million | $85 million | $14 million |
5 | Neymar | Association football | ![]() | $90 million | $73 million | $17 million |
6 | LeBron James | Basketball | ![]() | $85.5 million | $33.5 million | $52 million |
7 | Roger Federer | Tennis | ![]() | $77.2 million | $12.2 million | $65 million |
8 | Stephen Curry | Basketball | ![]() | $76.9 million | $34.9 million | $42 million |
9 | Matt Ryan | American football | ![]() | $67.3 million | $62.3 million | $5 million |
10 | Matthew Stafford | American football | ![]() | $59.5 million | $57.5 million | $2 million |
2017 list
The 2017 list:[7]
Rank | Name | Sport | Nation | Total | Salary/Winnings | Endorsements |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Association football | ![]() | $93 million | $58 million | $35 million |
2 | LeBron James | Basketball | ![]() | $86.2 million | $31.2 million | $55 million |
3 | Lionel Messi | Association football | ![]() | $80 million | $53 million | $27 million |
4 | Roger Federer | Tennis | ![]() | $64 million | $6 million | $58 million |
5 | Kevin Durant | Basketball | ![]() | $60.6 million | $26.6 million | $34 million |
6 | Andrew Luck | American football | ![]() | $50 million | $47 million | $3 million |
6 | Rory McIlroy | Golf | ![]() | $50 million | $16 million | $34 million |
8 | Stephen Curry | Basketball | ![]() | $47.3 million | $12.3 million | $35 million |
9 | James Harden | Basketball | ![]() | $46.6 million | $26.6 million | $20 million |
10 | Lewis Hamilton | Auto racing | ![]() | $46 million | $38 million | $8 million |
2016 list
The 2016 list:[8]
Rank | Name | Sport | Nation | Total | Salary/Winnings | Endorsements |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Association football | ![]() | $88 million | $56 million | $32 million |
2 | Lionel Messi | Association football | ![]() | $81.4 million | $53.4 million | $28 million |
3 | LeBron James | Basketball | ![]() | $77.2 million | $23.2 million | $54 million |
4 | Roger Federer | Tennis | ![]() | $67.8 million | $7.8 million | $60 million |
5 | Kevin Durant | Basketball | ![]() | $56.2 million | $20.2 million | $36 million |
6 | Novak Djokovic | Tennis | ![]() | $55.8 million | $21.8 million | $34 million |
7 | Cam Newton | American football | ![]() | $53.1 million | $41.1 million | $12 million |
8 | Phil Mickelson | Golf | ![]() | $52.9 million | $2.9 million | $50 million |
9 | Jordan Spieth | Golf | ![]() | $52.8 million | $20.8 million | $32 million |
10 | Kobe Bryant | Basketball | ![]() | $50 million | $25 million | $25 million |
2015 list
The 2015 list was released on 10 June 2015.[9]
Rank | Name | Sport | Nation | Total | Salary/Winnings | Endorsements |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Floyd Mayweather Jr. | Boxing | ![]() | $300 million | $285 million | $15 million |
2 | Manny Pacquiao | Boxing | ![]() | $160 million | $148 million | $12 million |
3 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Association football | ![]() | $79.6 million | $52.6 million | $27 million |
4 | Lionel Messi | Association football | ![]() | $73.8 million | $51.8 million | $22 million |
5 | Roger Federer | Tennis | ![]() | $67 million | $9 million | $58 million |
6 | LeBron James | Basketball | ![]() | $64.8 million | $20.8 million | $44 million |
7 | Kevin Durant | Basketball | ![]() | $54.1 million | $19.1 million | $35 million |
8 | Phil Mickelson | Golf | ![]() | $50.8 million | $2.8 million | $48 million |
9 | Tiger Woods | Golf | ![]() | $50.6 million | $0.6 million | $50 million |
10 | Kobe Bryant | Basketball | ![]() | $49.5 million | $23.5 million | $26 million |
2014 list
The 2014 list was released on 11 June 2014.[10]
Rank | Name | Sport | Nation | Total | Salary/Winnings | Endorsements |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Floyd Mayweather Jr. | Boxing | ![]() | $105 million | $105 million | $0 |
2 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Association football | ![]() | $80 million | $52 million | $28 million |
3 | LeBron James | Basketball | ![]() | $72.3 million | $19.3 million | $53 million |
4 | Lionel Messi | Association football | ![]() | $64.7 million | $41.7 million | $23 million |
5 | Kobe Bryant | Basketball | ![]() | $61.5 million | $30.5 million | $31 million |
6 | Tiger Woods | Golf | ![]() | $61.2 million | $6.2 million | $55 million |
7 | Roger Federer | Tennis | ![]() | $56.2 million | $4.2 million | $52 million |
8 | Phil Mickelson | Golf | ![]() | $53.2 million | $5.2 million | $48 million |
9 | Rafael Nadal | Tennis | ![]() | $44.5 million | $14.5 million | $30 million |
10 | Matt Ryan | American football | ![]() | $43.8 million | $42 million | $1.8 million |
2013 list
The 2013 list was released on 5 June 2013.[11]
Rank | Name | Sport | Nation | Total | Salary/Winnings | Endorsements |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Tiger Woods | Golf | ![]() | $78.1 million | $13.1 million | $65 million |
2 | Roger Federer | Tennis | ![]() | $71.5 million | $6.5 million | $65 million |
3 | Kobe Bryant | Basketball | ![]() | $61.9 million | $27.9 million | $34 million |
4 | LeBron James | Basketball | ![]() | $59.8 million | $17.8 million | $42 million |
5 | Drew Brees | American football | ![]() | $51 million | $40 million | $11 million |
6 | Aaron Rodgers | American football | ![]() | $49 million | $43 million | $6 million |
7 | Phil Mickelson | Golf | ![]() | $48.7 million | $4.7 million | $44 million |
8 | David Beckham | Association football | ![]() | $47.2 million | $5.2 million | $42 million |
9 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Association football | ![]() | $44 million | $23 million | $21 million |
10 | Lionel Messi | Association football | ![]() | $41.3 million | $20.3 million | $21 million |
2012 list
The 2012 list was released on 18 June 2012.[12]
Rank | Name | Sport | Nationality | Total earnings | Salary/winnings | Endorsements |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Floyd Mayweather Jr. | Boxing | ![]() | $85 million | $85 million | $0 |
2 | Manny Pacquiao | Boxing | ![]() | $62 million | $56 million | $6 million |
3 | Tiger Woods | Golf | ![]() | $59.4 million | $4.4 million | $55 million |
4 | LeBron James | Basketball | ![]() | $53 million | $13 million | $40 million |
5 | Roger Federer | Tennis | ![]() | $52.7 million | $7.7 million | $45 million |
6 | Kobe Bryant | Basketball | ![]() | $52.3 million | $20.3 million | $32 million |
7 | Phil Mickelson | Golf | ![]() | $47.8 million | $4.8 million | $43 million |
8 | David Beckham | Association football | ![]() | $46 million | $9 million | $37 million |
9 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Association football | ![]() | $42.5 million | $20.5 million | $22 million |
10 | Peyton Manning | American football | ![]() | $42.4 million | $32.4 million | $10 million |
References
- Badenhausen, Kurt (2017-12-13). "The 25 Highest-Paid Athletes Of All Time". Forbes. Archived from the original on 2018-12-18. Retrieved 2018-12-18.
- Wardrop, Murray (2010-08-13). "Wealth of today's sports stars is 'no match for the fortunes of Rome's chariot racers'". Telegraph.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2018-12-19. Retrieved 2018-12-19.
- "Roger Federer Debuts In Top Spot On Forbes' Annual Ranking Of The World's 100 Highest-Paid Athletes, As Naomi Osaka Becomes Highest-Paid Female Athlete Ever". Forbes. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
- Badenhausen, Kurt. "The Highest-Paid Athletes Of The Decade: Mayweather, Ronaldo And LeBron Dominate". Forbes. Retrieved 2020-01-22.
- "The World's Highest-Paid Athletes 2019". Forbes. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
- "The World's Highest-Paid Athletes 2018". Forbes. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
- "The World's Highest-Paid Athletes 2017". Forbes. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
- "The World's Highest-Paid Athletes 2016". Forbes. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
- "Forbes Announces 2015 List Of The World's 100 Highest-Paid Athletes". Forbes. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
- "Floyd Mayweather Heads 2014 List Of The World's Highest-Paid Athletes". Forbes. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
- "The World's Highest-Paid Athletes 2013: Behind The Numbers". Forbes. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
- "Mayweather Tops List Of The World's 100 Highest-Paid Athletes". Forbes. Retrieved 16 July 2016.