Cristiano Ronaldo Emerges as the Highest-Paid Athlete of 2023, Earning $275 Million
Portuguese football legend Cristiano Ronaldo has clinched the title of the highest-paid athlete globally in 2023, amassing an astounding $275 million in earnings, as reported by Sportico magazine on Wednesday.
Ronaldo's achievement is emblematic of the remarkable financial prowess of football, with four football stars securing positions within the top six earners on the list. Following Ronaldo, Spain's golf prodigy Jon Rahm secured the second position with $203 million, trailed by Lionel Messi ($130 million), LeBron James ($125.7 million), and Kylian Mbappé ($125 million), forming the top five earners.
The 2023 edition of the top 100 earners encompasses athletes from eight different sports and hails from 25 countries, collectively accumulating a staggering $5.4 billion over the past year, marking a notable 21% increase compared to the 2022 figures.
Basketball dominates the list with 40% representation, followed by American football (16%), baseball (13%), football (11%), golf (10%), boxing (6%), tennis (2%), and auto racing (2%).
Notably, the Los Angeles Clippers boast a significant presence in the top 100, with four players making the cut: Russell Westbrook ($54 million), James Harden ($51.6 million), Paul George ($51.1 million), and Kawhi Leonard ($50.1 million).
While Ronaldo's current standing as the highest earner may be attributed to a substantial one-time payout from Al Nassr, the data underscores the enduring commercial appeal of football worldwide—a dominance that Ronaldo himself has contributed to significantly throughout his illustrious career.