Ronaldo, Messi and Mbappe named the HIGHEST-PAID athletes in the WORLD

Suraj Radia

• Updated: 2 May 2023 18:52 BST
• 2 min read

Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe are the three highest paid athletes in the world according to the latest list by Forbes.

The footballing giants earn a combined income of more than $330 million, taking into account their salaries as well as their off-the-pitch ventures.

Ronaldo has shot up to the number one spot for the first time since 2017 following his move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr, which has seen his playing income nearly double to $75m.

REVEALED: Cristiano Ronaldo's salary and net worth

Forbes has averaged out his annual salary to $46m to account for lower contract at Manchester United for the first half of the season and his subsequent departure which saw him ‘unemployed’ for a month prior to his Saudi move.

Ronaldo’s off-the-pitch endorsements net him a reported $90m, totalling an annual income of $136m ¬– the highest of any athlete in the world and an all-time record for a footballer.

Messi drops to second after topping the 2022 list, earning $65m from Paris Saint-Germain and an additional $65m from endorsements, such as his ambassadorial role for Saudi Arabia’s tourism board ¬– a total of $130m.

Mbappe shoots up to third after being 35th last year, with his latest PSG renewal netting him a staggering $100m, a figure only beaten by LIV golfers, although the Frenchman’s off-field earnings of $20m ranks him higher than the likes of Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson.

Where do Ronaldo, Messi and Mbappe rank among all sports stars?

Ronaldo, Messi and Mbappe are the only footballers in the top ten, with Neymar dropping out despite being fourth last year, due to the earnings for the Saudi-backed LIV golf tour.

Forbes indicates that the money from the Gulf region has given the top ten athletes a combined income of $1.1 billion, beating the all-time record set in 2018.

With Saudi Arabia contributing to LIV and Ronaldo’s income, as well as Qatar-owned PSG funding Mbappe and Messi, the total income has increased by 12%.

HOW MUCH?: Mbappe's STAGGERING earnings and net worth

The only other athletes in the top ten were basketball stars LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant, tennis legend Roger Federer and boxing veteran Canelo Alvarez.