Cristiano Ronaldo emerged the highest paid athlete of 2024, according to a list compiled by Sportico, earning a reported $260 million, with no female athletes featuring in the top 100.
Ronaldo’s impressive earnings came from $215 million in salary and winnings for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia and the Portugal national team, and $45 million through off-the-field endorsements.
The 40-year-old has enjoyed somewhat of a career renewal since moving to Saudi Arabia, scoring 82 goals in his 90 games for Al-Nassr and becoming the first man to have 900 career goals in September last year.
Ronaldo is one of three soccer players to feature in the top 10 after big-money moves to Saudi Arabia, joined by Neymar and Karim Benzema, though the Brazilian star has since moved back to his boyhood club, Santos.
In 2024, Ronaldo brought in over $100 million more than the second-placed athlete, with NBA superstar Steph Curry earning an estimated $153.8 million – $53.8 million through salary/winnings and $100 million through endorsements.
Although his Golden State Warriors had a disappointing end to last season, Curry was paramount in Team USA’s basketball gold at the 2024 Olympics in Paris in the summer.
The top ten highest paid athletes are Cristiano Ronaldo – $260m; Steph Curry – $153.8m; Tyson Fury – $147m; Lionel Messi – $135m; LeBron James – $133.2m; Neymar – $133m; Oleksandr Usyk – $122m; Karim Benzema – $116m; Kylian Mbappé – $110m, and Jon Rahm – $105.8m.
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Britain’s Tyson Fury was in third with a reported $147 million in earnings – $140 million in salary/winnings and $7 million in endorsements, while Ronaldo’s long-time on-the-pitch rival, Lionel Messi, came fourth with $135 million in estimated earnings – $60 million in salary/winnings and $75 million in endorsements.
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James rounded out the top five at an estimated $133.2 million – $48.2 million in salary/winnings and $85 million in endorsements.
Dak Prescott was the top-earning NFL player, with the Dallas Cowboys quarterback reportedly earning $100.4 million to finish in 12th position. Jalen Hurts – quarterback of the Super Bowl LIX-winning Philadelphia Eagles – finished in 65th with $46.1 million.
While plenty of male athletes cashed in on their talents, no female athletes featured in the top 100.
US tennis sensation Coco Gauff was the highest-earning female athlete last year at an estimated $30.4 million, having won the doubles title at the French Open as well as the singles championship at the end-of-season WTA finals.
For reference, the final athlete on Sportico’s top 100 list was former New York Giants and now Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daniel Jones who earned $37.5 million.
