In the millennium we are in, sports is no more just a cool pastime you indulge in to stay fit, kill time and have fun. It’s been a while now that sports have become a fine-tuned industry that operates with all of the commitment — if not more — displayed in any other businesses. With leagues going professional and athletes seeking lifelong careers, money has poured into sports. Thus, there is no surprise that some of the top athletes in the world get paid in tens of millions every year — not just as salary but also through lucrative endorsement deals from major brands — and by retirement time their net worth reaches astronomical levels.
In the “Parimatch list of top 10 richest athletes in the world” compiled below, we have mentioned some such sporting personalities who have transcended courts, arenas and stadiums and raked in so much money that they can alternatively also be regarded as successful businessmen.
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Who are the Highest Paid Athletes in the World?
There were times when some of the world’s biggest sports grew in isolation while others watched in envy but that’s not the case anymore. Of course, no power slapper, curling legend or kabaddi king makes the cut but our list of the top 10 most richest athletes in the world is a nice mixed bag with names from all over the sporting divide. Check out the Top 10 richest athletes in the world ever:
|
Rank |
Name | Sport | Net worth |
| 1 | Michael Jordan | Basketball |
$3b |
|
2 |
Magic Johnson | Basketball | $1.2b |
| 3 | Tiger Woods | Golf |
$1.1b |
|
4 |
LeBron James | Basketball | $1b |
| 5 | Michael Schumacher | Formula One |
$780m |
|
6 |
Lionel Messi | Football | $650m |
|
7 |
Cristiano Ronaldo | Football | $600m |
| 8 | Roger Federer | Tennis |
$550m |
|
9 |
David Beckham | Football | $450m |
| 10 | Floyd Mayweather Jr | Boxing |
$400m |
Top 10 Richest Sportsman in the World
If you distinguish between an athlete and a sportsman, the former includes those whose claim to fame primarily was their on-field achievements, while the latter also takes into account those who were involved in their respective sport at some point but that’s not how they made their fortune.
Michael Jordan’s shoe empire is so enormous that he will stay on top of any list involving athletes and sportsmen. However, if we are solely focusing on sporting people with tons of money, there will be a new number two in town, and that’s Romania’s Ion Tiriac, whose net worth is $2b — only a billion less than Jordan’s.
The only reason he does not make our all-time list below is that while Tiriac played two sports (tennis and ice hockey) professionally, he did not quite reach either’s pinnacle. He did win 34 career singles titles and ranked as high as number 19 in the world at one point but let’s be real; a professional tennis player is always judged by his or her success in grand slam tournaments. Tiriac, for all his money, went as far as the fourth round in slams. So where did he make his money then? He parlayed his tennis connections into a successful post-retirement business career that saw him even open a bank with his name.
Tiriac is followed by Jordan’s basketball rival Magic Johnson at number three, following which Tiger Woods makes the list at number four. Then, there is a tie between LeBron James and Danish dressage rider Anna Kasprzak, both of whom have a net worth of $1b but almost all of the latter’s fortune is inherited through her family, which is why she doesn’t make our all-time list.
Formula One legend Michael Schumacher comes at number seven, followed by long-time football rivals Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at eight and nine. The list of the top 10 richest sportsmen in the world is capped by tennis maestro Roger Federer, but more about him can be found below as he also makes our all-time list.
Top 10 Richest Athletes in the World 2023
The list becomes a completely different business if you restrict it to recent times only because as rich as Jordan is, most of his wealth is already made and he is unlikely to rake in as much cash as active athletes in the prime of their sporting careers.
Thus, for 2023 only, the richest athlete in the world was Cristiano Ronaldo, who made an astonishing $136m, thanks to a mega deal with Saudi club Al Nassr. Number two top earner from Jan 1, 2023 to Dec 31, 2023 was none other than CR7’s rival-in-chief Lionel Messi, who also found a new home this year as he also opted to leave behind the rigors of European football for the glam of Miami. He made a cool $130m in 2023.
Number three features another footballer in the form of Messi’s former PSG teammate, Kylian Mbappe, who earned $120m. What’s astonishing is that only 20m of that 120m haul was from endorsements. All the rest were in salary. Hence, once Mbappe becomes super marketable in a few years, his net worth will skyrocket like it’s nobody’s business.
Number four sees a personality from a new sport in the form of LeBron James, who earned $119.5m in 2023, thanks to his incredible collection of off-field endorsement deals. At number five, there is Mexican boxer Canelo Alvarez, who raked in $110m, followed by American golf course king Dustin Johnson ($107m) at number six and another golfer Phil Mickelson ($106m) at number seven. Basketball makes a return at number eight through Steph Curry ($100.4m), while tennis legend Roger Federer ($95.1m) and basketball star Kevin Durant ($89.1) make the final two entries on the list.
Top 10 Richest Athletes in the World Net Worth
To some, being an athlete implies athleticism in hand — and not possessing athleticism in the past that has now left the system. In other words, for those wondering who the richest active athletes in the world are, this is the right list.
Since Michael Jordan has long been retired, it opens up the top spot for Tiger Woods, whose best years are clearly behind him but he still plays and so he tops the list. However, he can easily be surpassed on this list by Jordan’s GOAT rival LeBron James, who sits at number two on the richest active athlete list.
At number three comes Lionel Messi, followed by Cristiano Ronaldo, Phil Mickelson, Neymar, Kevin Durant, Lewis Hamilton, Rafael Nadal and Steph Curry.
Top 10 Richest Female Athletes in the World
If the debate is gender locked, it makes for an extremely interesting reading as female sports do not get the attention they deserve. Mind you, there will be plenty of tennis players on this list as women’s tennis remains one sport that has a sizable fan base across both genders.
Number one of the top 10 richest female athletes in the world list is tennis star Maria Sharapova, who made $195m, thanks to her on-court success but also largely due to her lucrative endorsement deals. Serena Williams is number two on the list despite tasting a lot more success than Sharapova. Her estimated net worth is $180m. Drag racer Alexis DeJoria ($100m) is third on the list, followed by Venus Williams ($75m), Danica Patrick ($60m), Anna Kournikova ($50m), Li Na ($50m), Annika Sorenstam ($40m), Simona Halep ($30m) and Caroline Wozniacki ($30m).
Top 10 Richest Athletes in the World All Time
Michael Jordan
Date of birth: February 17, 1963
Sport: Basketball
Team: Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards
Sports Career: When it comes to the ultimate all-time list of richest athletes, no one comes near the absolute king of money making athletes: Michael Jordan ($3b). The basketball GOAT is in a league of his own, and despite being retired for a long time, the six-time NBA champion’s shoes still fly off the shelf. At one point, he became so rich that he ended up owning an NBA franchise.
Magic Johnson
Date of birth: August 14, 1959
Sport: Basketball
Team: Los Angeles Lakers
Sports Career: Cracking the list of Top 10 richest athletes in the world of all time at number two is another basketball legend, Magic Johnson ($1.2b). The 6’9 point guard was supremely successful in his basketball career, winning five NBA championships, but has done just as well since retirement, forming Magic Johnson Enterprises and becoming a co— team owner of MLB franchise LA Dogers.
Tiger Woods
Date of birth: December 30, 1975
Sport: Golf
Sports Career: At number three is another American in the form of Tiger Woods ($1.1b), who has had difficulties and controversies in the second half of his golf career or he would have been a lot richer than he is right now. Still, the 15-time major winner of the golf courses has done quite well for himself financially.
LeBron James
Date of birth: December 30, 1984
Sport: Basketball
Team: Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers
Sports Career: Number four is also an American athlete in the form of LeBron James ($1b). The 6’8 freight train has won championship with each of his three teams and when it’s all said and done, he could have a better case than anyone else in terms of rivaling Jordan in the GOAT debate. For now, he is ageing like fine wine, staying clear of controversies, and making the right kind of investments. If he keeps this up, he may well become number two after Jordan in the all-time rich list too.
Michael Schumacher
Date of birth: January 3, 1969
Sport: Formula One racing
Team: Ferrari, Mercedes
Racing Career: The first non-American on the list is Michael Schumacher ($780m), who has been inactive in racing industry for more than a decade now due to a horrific injury but the record seven-time F1 champion’s brand is so massive that his net worth keeps on growing.
Lionel Messi
Date of birth: June 24, 1987
Sport: Football
Team: Barcelona, PSG, Inter Miami
Sports Career: Lionel Messi (650m) has an introverted, almost shy personality, which is not quite ideal when it comes to winning endorsement deals but when you are widely recognized as your sport’s GOAT, and numerous championships wins, all those personality traits become secondary. The Argentine draws a massive salary wherever he goes and after years in the media limelight, he has also learned how to strike endorsement deals from major brands.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Date of birth: February 5, 1985
Sport: Football
Team: Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, Al Nassr
Sports Career: Wherever there is Messi, Ronaldo won’t be far behind, so intertwined their stories have been. The Portuguese professional soccer player has a net worth of $600m, marginally less than Argentine’s even though he is far more marketable.
Roger Federer
Date of birth: August 8, 1981
Sport: Tennis
Sports Career: Tennis maestro Roger Federer won 20 grand slams titles in a storied and controversy-free career that is paying him grand dividends even after retirement. The Swiss is the first and only tennis player on this list with a net worth of $550m.
David Beckham
Date of birth: May 2, 1975
Sport: Football
Team: Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan, PSG, LA Galaxy
Sports Career: David Beckham was Cristiano Ronaldo before Cristiano Ronaldo. He was a brand’s dream. He played for some of the world’s biggest football teams while working on a side career focusing on fashion and sport business. He is now a co-owner of MLS franchise Inter Miami, for whom Messi plays these days, which should explain Beckham’s clout and growth. His net worth is $450m.
Floyd Mayweather Jr
Date of birth: February 24, 1977
Sport: Boxing
Sports Career: Floyd Mayweather is arguably the greatest counter puncher and defensive strategist boxing has ever seen. But beyond his abilities as a pugilist, he also knew how to sell fights, which is why he boasts a net worth of $400m today.
Summary
In the “Richest athletes in the world top 10”, we have sourced information about wealthiest athletes only from credible sources. However, keep in mind that some of the top 10 richest athletes in the world by net worth are active, and their net worth could change with their future achievements and investments.
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FAQ
Who is the top 10 richest athletes in the world?
- Michael Jordan
- Magic Johnson
- Tigers Woods
- LeBron James
- Lionel Messi
- Cristiano Ronaldo
- Roger Federer
- David Beckham
- Floyd Mayweather Jr are the top 10 richest athletes in the world.
Who is the highest paid athletes in the world?
Cristiano Ronaldo is currently the highest paid athlete in the world.
Which sport has the highest paid athletes?
Basketball, tennis and football generally have the highest paid athletes.