When Leo Messi was in the lead and there were no women, the list of the 10 highest paid athletes came out

Leo Messi He is a man of records. The latest one has nothing to do with football, but with what the football business pays for it. For the second time, the magazine Forbes placed him as highest profitable athlete in the world. This year, he estimated his total income – no tax deductions – at $ 130 millionthree more than in 2019 when he also won more than others.

Forbes is an American magazine that specializes in business and finance that has been published since 1917 and that traditionally produces rankings on personalities or companies and their annual income. In the case of athletes the estimate is made using the numbers of advertising contracts and additional salary income and bonuses.

Although this is the second time for Messi to top the rankings, since he became among the 10 best paid in 2011, he is not in the top ten in just one year: except in 2012, his earnings have since became so high that his surname occupied some place on the table.

This edition confirms the paradigm shift, as in recent decades, golf, boxing or motorsports have been the primary with the highest paid jobs in sports. In 2022, along with basketball, soccer will be the best source of income for the elite.

Behind Messi and his 130 million dollars -75 for contracts as a footballer and 55 for advertising-, is Lebron James, with 121.2 million in the same currency, product of his contract with the Lakers (41.2) and various advertising (80 million). The podium closes it Cristiano Ronaldo with 115 million, of which 60 are club matches and the rest, 55, out.

Neymar (football, 95 million), Stephen Curry (basketball, 92.8), Kevin Durant (basketball, 92.1), Roger Federer (tennis, 90.7), Canelo Alvarez (boxing 90), Tom Brady (football, 83.9) at Giannis Antetokounmpo (basketball, 80.9), complete the list of the highest paid athletes in the world last year. Together they raised 991.6 million dollars.

The payroll not including women this year or anything else and the explanation does not differ from the most earthly field of labor: there is a gap between the salaries of men and women, regardless of the country, the trade, the profession or sport.

The extra income of each

Among the profits that pushed Messi to first place in the rankings, was the company’s agreement cryptocurrencies Partners and their role as Qatar Tourism Ambassadorbefore the World Cup to be held in that country.

Although he missed the playoffs this season, Lakers forward LeBron James made a lot of money from his talk show and starring in the film. Space Jam: A New Legacy. while, Ronaldo He has big money on his social networks: his 690 million followers spread on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter allow him more revenue from sponsorship.