Cristiano Ronaldo has once again been named the highest-paid athlete in the world, topping the Forbes list for the third consecutive year.
The 40-year-old Portuguese star continues to benefit from his lucrative move to Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr, combined with a vast portfolio of endorsement deals and sponsorships, all amplified by his staggering 939 million social media followers across platforms.
He has now topped the Forbes list five times in his illustrious career.
Notable Highlights
Stephen Curry surged to second place following his strong performance on and off the court, including becoming the first NBA player to hit 4,000 three-pointers.
Tyson Fury, despite losing his world titles to Oleksandr Usyk in December, jumped to third due to earnings from his Netflix series and Maltese tourism endorsements.
Lionel Messi, who was third last year, dropped to fifth, further widening the earnings gap between him and long-time rival Ronaldo.
Dak Prescott, the Dallas Cowboys quarterback, is the top-earning NFL player, primarily due to a massive contract extension.
Juan Soto and Shohei Ohtani mark the continued rise of MLB players in global commercial value, largely driven by new contracts and increased marketability.
Top 10 Highest-Paid Athletes in 2025 (by Forbes)
(All £ figures approximate)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Football) – $275m (£206.6m)
Stephen Curry (Basketball) – $156m (£117.2m)
Tyson Fury (Boxing) – $146m (£109.7m)
Dak Prescott (American Football) – $137m (£103m)
Lionel Messi (Football) – $135m (£101.4m)
LeBron James (Basketball) – $133.8m (£105.5m)
Juan Soto (Baseball) – $114m (£85.7m)
Karim Benzema (Football) – $104m (£78.2m)
Shohei Ohtani (Baseball) – $102.5m (£77m)
Kevin Durant (Basketball) – $101.4m (£76.2m)
Historic Earnings Comparison
Ronaldo’s $275m total is surpassed only by Floyd Mayweather, who earned:
$300m in 2015 (approx £194m)
$275m in 2018 (approx £205m)
