Top 5 Highest Earning Athletes on the Planet
It’s completely true to assume that the highest-earning sports people on the planet are some of the highest-earning people overall.
This is because, despite being freakishly talented in their respective fields, they also have many other side ventures that bring them in tons of cash. Add sponsorship deals on top of these income avenues and you get some of the most well-paid professionals on the planet. But who is at the top of the list?
Which sports person earns the most? And how? Let’s go through the top 5 highest-earning athletes below.
Stephen Curry – $93 Million/Year
Stephen Curry is possibly the best shooter the NBA has ever seen. He has pulled off some of the most ridiculous plays in history, and his salary clearly reflects his value to the sport. In general NBA players earn more than any other American sportsman or woman, and since Steph is at the top, it only makes sense that he is one of the top-earning sports personas on the planet.
His on-court earnings amount to $46 million while his off-court earnings amount to $45 million per year.
Neymar – $95 Million/Year
Neymar is one of the most recognizable names in world football, despite not being considered the best player of his generation. He is undoubtedly one of the biggest talents the game has ever seen and his popularity in South America makes him more than just a footballer. He is a global icon, ripe for massive sponsorship deals and advertising contracts. Because of all of this, he is still a top-earning sports persona, despite his relative fall from grace in the footballing world.
His on-field earnings amount to $70 million while his off-field earnings amount to $25 million per year.
Cristiano Ronaldo – $115 Million/Year
Everyone knows who Ronaldo is. In fact, he is currently the most followed account on the entirety of Instagram. He is a true global superstar, whom many would consider the best footballer of all time (alongside one obvious other). He has been in the limelight for years and deserves to be one of the top-paid athletes of his generation.
His on-field earnings amount to $60 million while his off-field earnings amount to $55 million per year.
LeBron James – $121 Million/Year
When will LeBron James stop? That’s the question many NBA fans have been asking for the past decade. He is well past the average NBA retirement age, yet he is still arguably the best player in the whole league. LeBron is a monster on the court, and his monster earnings reflect what has been an absolutely stellar career.
His on-court earnings amount to $41 million while his off-court earnings amount to $80 million per year.
Lionel Messi – $130 Million/Year
Ever since Lionel Messi decided to leave Barcelona, he has been by far the highest-paid contract footballer on the planet. He is Lionel Messi, so that makes sense. Many consider him the greatest of all time, bar none, and like the best horse racing betting odds, he just seems to keep getting better, even in his older age.
His on-field earnings amount to $75 million while his off-field earnings amount to $55 million per year.
