Who are the 10 highest paid athletes and where does Lionel Messi occupy in the rankings?

The prestigious magazine Forbes revealed this Tuesday who i am ten highest paid athletes in the worldranking in which Lionel Messi is in second place behind the Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo.

The question of how much this or that elite athlete earns usually pops up in conversation, and the publication is tasked with addressing the concern.

“Siuuuuuuu”, CR7 would shout if being first in the standings were like scoring a goal or receiving the Ballon d’Or, but the top step of this ladder does not give away a trophy or a medal, but dollars.

Messi, on the other hand, would perhaps cross himself and point his index finger at the sky, even if his low profile and exposure cast doubt on such a celebration.

The Portuguese, who today appears to be closer to retirement than a return to the forefront of international football, has had a traumatic farewell at Manchester United, even as his bank account was heavily inflated after signing with Saudi Arabia’s Al Nasser.

At 38, Cristiano Ronaldo On the field, he invoices 46 million dollars and another 90 off the field. That sum translates into the $136 million that places him as the highest-paid athlete on Earth.

The second was not France, but Lionel Messi, who at the age of 35 reached the pinnacle of his sporting career by winning the 2022 World Cup, although his time at PSG was not as successful as one might assume. The Argentine 10 brings in $130 million, with equal amounts taken from either side of the lime line.

Both marked a before and after in the history of football and business, while, for biological reasons, they begin to leave the throne to new figures such as kylian mbappe.

Precisely, the French gunner completes the podium of the ten with the highest turnover, with 120 million for his young 24-year-old. Last year he was 35th on the money list, and now makes his debut in the “top ten”, being the only “Under 30”.

The first three, not curiously, receive salaries from Qatari and Saudi petrodollars. In that line, Qatar are the ones who have signed two of the top three on the list, since they own Paris Saint-Germain.

The fourth place is occupied by the first non-soccer player and, to no one’s surprise, the position belongs to the 6 of the Los Angeles Lakers, lebron james with half a million less than the world runner-up in Doha.

The leading scorer in NBA history became the first active athlete to be certified a billionaire by Forbes this past June.

Among the remaining five, the presences of two golfers such as Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson stand out, as well as Stephen Curry, James’s bitter rival in the NBA.

Ninth is Roger Federer, despite his retirement from professional tennis in September 2022. His list of more than a dozen long-term partners remains intact, as he announces new partnerships with companies.

Kevin Durant is tenth, with less than 90 million. Along with Michael Jordan and James, he is one of three athletes to have a lifetime contract with one of the two biggest sportswear brands in the world.

At the end of the report, Forbes explains, “Forbes On-Field Earnings data includes all prize money, salaries, and bonuses earned between May 1, 2022 and May 1, 2023. Where players continue to be paid beyond May 1 for a regular season that ended at that point, as in the NBA and European soccer: we award salary for the entire season Includes playoff bonuses for the 2022 NBA NFL season and the 2021 NBA season -22″.

He adds: “The off-field earnings data is an estimate of endorsement deals, attendance and memorabilia fees, and license income for the 12 months prior to May 1, 2023, plus cash earnings from any business operated by the athlete, according to conversations with industry Forbes does not include income from investments, such as interest payments or dividends, but does take into account payments from equity shares that athletes have sold,” while finally clarifying that the publication ” does not deduct taxes or agent fees. The list includes athletes who were active at any time during the 12-month period.”