Cristiano Ronaldo, Tiger Woods and the 50 highest-paid athletes of all time

Martin Macdonald

Updated: 1 Apr 2026 10:16 CDT
4 min read

Highest-Paid athletes in the world — © IMAGO

Michael Jordan is officially the highest-paid athlete in history, according to a report from Sportico.

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From the list of the top 50 highest-paid athletes, basketball leads the representation, per sport, with 12 entries including Jordan, LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant.

The football contingent is led by Cristiano Ronaldo in third place, with Lionel Messi and David Beckham also in the top 10. The only other footballer in the top 50 is Neymar.

Within the top 10, the best-represented sports are football and golf, with Tiger Woods in second, Arnold Palmer in fourth and Jack Nicklaus in sixth.

Overall, the list includes athletes from football, golf, basketball, boxing, motor racing, baseball, NFL and mixed martial arts.

The top 50 on the list have earned $50 billion when adjusted for inflation and $35.5 billion on a nominal basis through the end of 2023.

According to Sportico, the list includes "salaries, bonuses, prize money, purses, endorsements, licensing, royalties, memorabilia, book deals, media, appearance fees and golf course design fees."

Money earned from equity stakes in sponsor companies is also included.

Highest-paid athletes of all time (1-25)

Athlete	Sport	Inflation-Adjusted Earning
1. Michael Jordan	Basketball	$3.75bn
2. Tiger Woods	Golf	$2.66bn
3. Cristiano Ronaldo	Football	$1.92bn
4. Arnold Palmer	Golf	$1.76bn
5. LeBron James	Basketball	$1.7bn
6. Lionel Messi	Football	$1.67bn
7. Jack Nicklaus	Golf	$1.67bn
8. David Beckham	Football	$1.5bn
9. Roger Federer	Golf	$1.49bn
10. Floyd Mayweather	Boxing	$1.48bn
11. Phil Michelson	Golf	$1.43bn
12. Michael Schumacher	Motorsport	$1.36bn
13. Shaquille O'Neal	Basketball	$1.21bn
14. Kobe Bryant	Basketball	$1.09bn
15. Greg Norman	Golf	$1.06bn
16. Neymar	Football	$1.01bn
17. Kevin Durant	Basketball	$955m
18. Mike Tyson	Boxing	$905m
19. Lewis Hamilton	Motorsport	$880m
20. Alex Rodriguez	Baseball	$775m
21. Stephen Curry	Basketball	$770m
22. Manny Pacquiao	Boxing	$750m
23. Tom Brady	NFL	$745m
24. Jeff Gordon	Motorsport	$710m
25. Peyton Manning	NFL	$710m

Jordan earned relatively little by today’s NBA standards from basketball itself—around $90 million in salary in his career - but his real wealth came from endorsements and business deals. His partnership with Nike and the Air Jordan brand generates massive ongoing royalties, and he also made money from companies like Gatorade and Hanes, plus investments such as his former ownership of the Charlotte Hornets.

Like Jordan, second-placed Woods makes most of his money through endorsements. While his PGA Tour prize money is very high compared to most golfers, it makes up a smaller part of his total wealth. The bulk of his earnings comes from long-term sponsorships with major brands like Nike, TaylorMade, and Rolex, which paid him huge sums due to his global popularity and dominance in golf. Even during injury layoffs, he continued earning from endorsements.

Focusing on the most successful footballer on the list, Ronaldo, he earns his money mainly from a massive football salary combined with huge commercial deals. A large part of his income comes from playing contracts, especially after his move to Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, where he is on one of the most lucrative athlete contracts in history.

On top of that, he earns millions from endorsements with brands like Nike, plus his own CR7 businesses, including fashion, fragrances, and hotels.

As for his perennial rival, Messi, a major part of the Argentine's wealth comes from his playing contracts, especially his move to Inter Miami, which included salary, bonuses, and a share of commercial revenue growth linked to the club and MLS deals. He also earns huge amounts from long-term sponsorships with brands like Adidas. In addition, Messi benefits from image rights and partnerships that make him one of the highest-paid athletes in the world.

Remarkably, Jordan made more from his Nike deal ($275m) in 2025 than the highest-paid athlete in the world in 2025 - Cristiano Ronaldo, who earned $260m.

There's only one female in the top 50 and that is tennis superstar Serena Williams, in 41st with career earnings of $600m.