Forbes’ list of highest paid athletes

May 17, 2022

Forbes’ recently released the annual ranking of the world’s highest-paid athletes.

Who is the highest-paid athlete of 2022?

Lionel Messi. He topped the Forbes list for the second time (the first was in 2019).

How much money is earned by Lionel Messi?

USD 130 million in pre-tax gross earnings during the past 12 months ending May 1^st, 2022. Although Messi’s salary reduced in recent times, a major boost in endorsements led him to top the list. Messi earned USD 75 million through salary and USD 55 million through endorsements.

Who ranked second and third on the Forbes list?

LeBron James, a basketball player, ranked second with USD 121.2 million in earnings. He is the tenth athlete to cross USD 100 million in earnings in a single year.
Cristiano Ronaldo ranked third with USD 115 million in earnings.

Who are the other top ten paid athletes on the Forbes list?

Neymar (Football, USD 95 million)
Stephen Curry (Basketball, USD 92.8 million)
Kevin Durant (Basketball, USD 92.1 million)
Roger Federer (Tennis, USD 90.7 million)
Canelo Alvarez (Boxing, USD 90 million)
Tom Brady (Football, USD 83.9 million)
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Basketball, USD 80.9 million)

What are the earnings of the top 10 athletes on the list?

The world’s top ten highest-paid athletes made USD 992 million in pre-tax gross earnings over the last year. This is the third-highest ever earnings, only behind 2021’s USD 1.05 billion and the USD 1.06 billion in 2018.

How much did the top 10 athletes earn from endorsements?

The top ten athletes earned around USD 500 million from endorsements, appearances, licensing fees, and cash returns from businesses they operate. Last year, the amount stood at USD 512 million.