Who are the highest earning athletes in the world putting into consideration their respective on-and-off field earnings, which includes prize money, salaries and bonuses earned between May 1, 2022 and May 1, 2023?
The nature of a top athletes maximum contracts or salary caps often has a significant impact on their earnings, while merchandise deals also comes with more juicy figures which skyrocket their earnings through a calendar year.
Having said that, so who makes the top 10 list of the highest earning athletes in the world, according to Forbes in 2023.
Kevin Durant – (£72m, Phoenix Suns)
If there’s any basketball player who is one of the most gifted scorers and one of the most naturally gifted to ever graced the slam and dunk court, is it KD who plays for the Phoenix Suns.
Durant was traded from the Brooklyn Nets to the Suns in February, and he has since been one of the best player in the Western Conference alongside Devin Booker and DeAndre Ayton.
Durant ranks 10th in the world as one of the highest earning athletes with a eye-watering take home of £72million, considering his on-and-off field earnings that includes his salaries, investments and merchandise deals.
Roger Federer – (£76m, Tennis)
Legendary tennis player Roger Federer is the only tennis star included in this year ranking, and he’s placed in ninth position ahead of Kevin Durant.
Federer announced his retirement from professional tennis back in September, yet the Swiss legend maintains plenty of his lucrative partnerships off the court which skyrocket his earnings to £76million.
What also helps in improving his earnings includes his recent licencing agreement for his RF brands with eyewear maker Oliver Peoples.
Stephen Curry – (£81m, Golden State Warriors)
Another basketball player on the list who plays as a point guard for the Golden State Warriors is the eighth highest-paid athlete on the planet presently with a mouthwatering £81million.
Curry is undoubtedly an all-time great in the basketball world, having consistently shown himself on the grandest of stages in the basketball world with his ability as a professional player.
While the Golden State Warriors star absolutely didn’t make the ranking by chance, it must be noted that he’s paid his dues by investing in a lot of businesses and recently he also invested in a VR platform Golf+ founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIIroy.
Phil Mickelson – (£85m, Golf)
The seventh highest-paid athlete in the globe is no other than Golf star Phil Mickelson with a mouthwatering take home of £85million.
Mickelson gave his new tour a performance to be proud of at the Masters last month, where posted a resounding final-round 65 to finished in a tie for the second spot with his LIV Golf mate Brooks Koepka.
The Golf-star surpassed $1billion in career pre-tax earnings last year, and has shed sponsors since teaming up with LIV Golf but that doesn’t affect his earnings as he wisely invest in businesses off the golf-field.
Dustin Johnson – (£86m, Golf)
Golf-star Dustin Johnson is in sixth place after banking a total of £86million in earnings considering his salaries, investments and merchandise deals.
Johnson was the first star to jump to LIV Golf last year and he finished the year 2022 with a tour best of $35.6million in prize money, including $18million for winning the season-long individual championship.
While Johnson’s decision to jump on the LIV Golf may have cost him some sponsors, the good thing about the his decision is that he made some mouthwatering payday that ranks him among the highest-paid athletes in the globe.
Canelo Alvarez – (£88m, Boxing)
Golf is the latest obsession of Canelo Alvarez, but the Mexican boxer is undoubtedly one of the greatest boxers of his generation.
Alvarez is known to collect tens of millions of dollars everytime he steps in the ring, scoring big with blockbuster fights against top opponents like Gennadiy Golovkin and Dmitry Bivol.
Placed fifth in the world as one of the highest earning athletes isn’t by chance, because he has a list of endorsements which includes Hennessy, Michelob Ultra, Yaoca drink and Fitness App I Can.
LeBron James – (£95m, Basketball)
LeBron is an amazing basketball player which name will forever go down in the history of the game, as one of the best ever to take to the court.
Aside the fact that LeBron James is a top basketball player, it must be noted that the American is also a very successful founders and investors in terms of entrepreneurship spirit.
As one of the highest-paid athletes in the world with a mouthwatering paycheck of £95million, the Los Angeles Lakers forward is behind top sports brands that includes sports nutrition company Ladder and the Springhill Company which develop and produces entertainment content.
Kylian Mbappe – (£96m, Paris Saint-Germain)
Young, talented, and fast Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe is the only member on the list under the age of 30.
The France international been the highest-paid player at Parc des Princes, takes home the heftiest salary in world football presently with an astonishing £63million-a-year pay.
Mbappe been a debutant on these list became the first player ambassador for Sorare, a cryptocurrency-based fantasy game which increases his paycheck to rank as a top athlete in the beautiful game of football.
Lionel Messi – (£104m, Paris Saint-Germain)
What more can we say about the greatness of Lionel Messi as footballer, absolutely nothing because the Argentine is undoubtedly one of the finest players of his generation.
La Pulga is rank second on the list as one of the highest earning athletes in the world, with an eye-watering paycheck of £104million which includes salaries, investments, and endorsement deals.
As a current winner of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, plus been a global icon in the world of football seeing him on the top 10 list of Forbes gives credence to his iconic name as a brand.
Cristiano Ronaldo – (£109m, Al-Nassr)
Ronaldo is place in number one as the world’s highest-paid athlete after collecting an incredible £109million over the past year.
The Portuguese international endured a difficult end of 2022 on the pitch after falling out of favor at Manchester United, which led to an explosive interview with Piers Morgan that brought his second stint at Old Trafford to an abrupt end.
The 38-year-old after leaving United, teamed up with Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr in January for a staggering £175million a-year contract.
That lucrative deal he signed with the Saudi Arabian side is the reason why he’s ranked number one highest-paid athlete in the world presently.
Article updated 1 week ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
