World's highest-paid athletes: Messi, Ronaldo and Neymar break top five
FT Desk
- 11 May 2022 12:15 BST
- 3 min read
Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar are three of the five best-paid athletes in the world, according to sports industry specialists Sportico.
While basketball boasts the highest number of athletes in the top 100 earners with 36, only one of their number – LeBron James – outmatches soccer-playing trio Messi, Ronaldo and Neymar.
Sportico took salaries, prize money and bonuses in the 12-month period between June 2021 and May 2022, with endorsement income including sponsorships, licensing, royalties and more also factored in.
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Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar: who earns the most?
With that data, their top five reads: LeBron James ($127 million/€120m), Lionel Messi ($122 million/€116m), Cristiano Ronaldo ($115 million/€109m), Neymar ($103 million/€98m) and boxer Canelo Alvarez ($89 million/€84m).
That Messi continues to out-earn career rival Ronaldo may surprise some. The Barcelona legend now plies his trade in Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain – alongside Neymar – whilst Ronaldo is starring in the Premier League with Manchester United.
Messi has scored just four league goals this term, while Ronaldo has plundered 18 for Man Utd. Granted, Ronaldo plays further forward, but their respective earnings also show how powerful a body of work remains in the public perception.
Top earner James, like Ronaldo, continues to defy Father Time with the second-highest scoring average in the NBA this season as well as the second-highest of his career.
In Kylian Mbappe, PSG have the next best-paid footballer on the list with an annual income of ($48.8 million/€46m), while Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale ($43 million/€41m) and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah ($34.2 million/€32.4m) round out world football’s top five.
Unlike stars of other sports such as Roger Federer (tennis) and Tiger Woods (golf) – and indeed basketball superstar James – the footballers do not earn the majority of their income through endorsements.
