Cristiano Ronaldo has once again claimed the top spot on Forbes’ list of the world’s highest-paid athletes – his third straight year and fifth overall.
Since joining Saudi club Al-Nassr, the Portuguese star has raked in an estimated $275 million, fueled by both on-field wages and booming off-field earnings.
Ronaldo boosted his income by $15 million through endorsements and sponsorships, driven in large part by his staggering 939 million social media followers as of May.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, who in March became the first NBA player to reach 4,000 career 3-pointers, jumped to second place in the rankings with $156 million.
Boxer Tyson Fury claimed third place with $146 million. Despite losing his world heavyweight titles to Oleksandr Usyk in December, Fury’s income has been boosted by partnerships promoting Maltese tourism and his Netflix reality show.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott ranked fourth with $137 million, thanks to record-breaking signing bonuses and a lucrative contract extension.
Argentine star Lionel Messi dropped to fifth with $135 million – the same as last year – following his move to Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami and continued high-profile endorsements from Adidas and Apple.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, nearing the end of his illustrious career, came in sixth with $133.8 million.
New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto landed in seventh place, earning $114 million. The 26-year-old Dominican signed a $765 million, 15-year contract – the largest in baseball history.
French striker Karim Benzema, who plays for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad, ranked eighth with earnings of $104 million.
Japanese two-way star Shohei Ohtani placed ninth with $102.5 million, having deferred most of his earnings from his mega-contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. His income was also boosted by their World Series win last year.
Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant rounded out the top 10 with $101.4 million.