Cristiano Ronaldo was the highest-paid athlete in the world in 2024, surpassing sports stars like Steph Curry, Tyson Fury, and Lionel Messi, according to Sportico’s annual rankings.
The 40-year-old Portuguese forward, currently playing for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, earned a staggering $260 million (£208m) last year. Of this amount, $215 million (£172m) came from his lucrative contract in Saudi Arabia. Since moving to the Middle East, Ronaldo has scored 82 goals in 90 games and became the first player to reach 900 career goals in September 2023.
NBA superstar Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors followed in second place with earnings of $153.8 million (£123m), while British boxing champion Tyson Fury ranked third with $147 million (£118m). Lionel Messi, who now plays for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer (MLS), was fourth with $135 million (£108m). Rounding out the top five was LeBron James, the LA Lakers icon, with $133.2 million (£107m).
The combined earnings of the top 100 highest-paid athletes worldwide reached an estimated $6.2 billion (£5bn). The list includes athletes from eight different sports—football, basketball, boxing, golf, American football, Formula 1, baseball, and tennis—representing 27 countries.
Notably, no female athletes made it into the top 100. However, tennis star Coco Gauff, who won her first Grand Slam at the 2024 US Open, was the highest-earning female athlete with $30.4 million (£24m). Experts predict that her appeal both on and off the court will help her climb the rankings in the coming years.
