Who is the highest-earning athlete of the 21st century?
Salaries, purses and endorsement deals, measured across twenty-five years of receipts.
1Cristiano RonaldoCombines the largest football salary with the largest endorsement following.1000pts
2Tom BradyTwenty-three seasons of NFL contracts plus a fitness and apparel business.877pts
3Manny PacquiaoTook a reported $120m purse from a single night in 2015.877pts
4Lionel MessiBarcelona's record contract, then Paris, then a revenue-sharing deal in Miami.771pts
5Conor McGregorOne boxing match and a whiskey brand made him the highest-paid athlete of 2021.600pts
6Tiger WoodsGolf's first billion-dollar athlete, most of it from endorsements.600pts
7Canelo AlvarezSigned one of the largest guaranteed contracts in sports history in 2018.600pts
8Floyd MayweatherTopped the Forbes highest-paid athlete list in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.491pts
9LeBron JamesA lifetime Nike deal plus studio, media and franchise ownership.491pts
10Serena WilliamsTennis's highest-earning woman, with a venture fund alongside the endorsements.491pts
11Lewis HamiltonFormula 1's highest-paid driver for most of his Mercedes years.491pts
12Roger FedererOut-earned the tour from sponsorship long after his prize money peaked.360pts
13NeymarA record transfer fee and a salary to match, twice over.360pts
14Phil MickelsonGolf's steadiest endorsement earner across two decades.360pts
15Kobe BryantTwo decades of Lakers contracts plus a global endorsement portfolio.0pts
#Sports662#Celebrities134#Athletes44#All Time328
Comments
One night in 2015 paid Mayweather a reported $180 million and Pacquiao $120 million, which is how two boxers reach a list of footballers: https://youpick.best/articles/mayweather-vs-pacquiao-ranked
