Chase The Money: The World’s Highest-Paid Athletes For 2025 Revealed

• Cristiano Ronaldo has been crowned world’s highest-paid athlete by Forbes for the third consecutive year (and fifth time in his career).
• Buoyed by his blockbuster contract with Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr, his estimated annual earnings tallied US$275 million.
• Ronaldo dwarfed his next closest competition, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, by almost US$120 million.

You’d think that having already topped Forbes‘ athlete rich list four times before would take all the surprise out of his fifth crowning. But despite this, footballing phenom Cristiano Ronaldo has once again raised eyebrows as he reclaims the throne.

Thanks to his eye-watering contract with Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr and the expected sponsorship dollars that come with being CR7, the Portuguese talent pocketed an impressive US$275 million over the past year. That’s US$225 million from his player salary alone, and another US$50 million for his off-field dealings.

Ronaldo successfully defended his title as highest-paid athlete for the third consecutive year against the equally bankable likes of NBA superstar Stephen Curry (US$156 million), heavyweight boxing great Tyson Fury (US$146 million), NFL quarterback Dak Prescott (US$137 million), as well as his perennial career rival Lionel Messi – who still managed to rake in US$135 million at the commercially limited MLS with David Beckham’s Inter Miami.

Further down the list, the rankings shaped up as any sports-watching punter would expect: Major League Baseball’s Juan Soto and Shohei Ohtani earned considerable coin – the latter enjoying US$100 million from brands to make up for his largely deferred US$2.5 million player salary – with Curry’s fellow NBA icons LeBron James and Kevin Durant, as well as another Saudi-contracted footballer in Karim Benzema, rounding out the Top 10.

“With the threshold for inclusion rising to US$53.6 million this year – up an eye-popping 19% from 2024’s record-tying US$45.2 million, and nearly double 2017’s US$27.2 million – landing a spot on the exclusive list is harder than ever,” revealed Forbes.

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“Just eight years ago, that minimum payday would have been good enough for #6 overall.”

“Combined, this year’s 50 top earners collected an estimated US$4.23 billion, demolishing the previous high of US$3.88 billion set just last year. The new total includes US$1.04 billion from athletes’ endorsements, appearances and other business endeavours, climbing 11% from 2024’s US$936 million and just shy of 2023’s record US$1.08 billion.”

Outside of the Top 10, there’s procession of familiar names from both LIV and PGA-only golfers like Jon Rahm at #12, Scottie Scheffler at #14, and career grand slam winner Rory McIlroy at #17; NFL names Patrick Mahomes at #18 and Tua Tagovailoa at #27; Formula 1 champions Sir Lewis Hamilton at #23 and Max Verstappen at #24; to an entire smattering of NBA fixtures.

Here are the 10 highest-paid athletes in the world for 2025, according to Forbes.

Check out the complete Top 50 list via Forbes here.