Cristiano Ronaldo Leads Forbes Sports Rich List With £206 Million Earnings [Full List]

Cristiano Ronaldo has been named the world’s highest-paid athlete, topping Forbes’ annual rich list with a staggering £206.6 million ($275 million) in earnings over the past year.

The 40-year-old footballer saw a boost of £11.2 million compared to last year, marking the third year in a row—and the fifth time in his career—that he’s claimed the top spot.

Most of Ronaldo’s income comes from his massive £177 million-a-year salary at Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr, where he’s been playing since leaving Manchester United in December 2022.

On top of that, he earns significantly through sponsorship deals and his huge social media following, which now stands at around 939 million followers.

Only retired boxing champion Floyd Mayweather has earned more in a single year, with record payouts of $300 million in 2015 and $275 million in 2018.

Just behind Ronaldo is NBA icon Steph Curry, who earned £117.1 million ($156 million) last year—a season in which he became the first player in history to make 4,000 career three-pointers.

In third place is British boxing star Tyson Fury, who earned £109.5 million ($146 million), mainly from two high-profile fights against Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia.

Ronaldo’s longtime rival Lionel Messi dropped to fifth this year, earning £101.3 million ($135 million), including an estimated £56.2 million ($75 million) from endorsements and sponsorships.

Messi also has a lucrative deal promoting tourism in Saudi Arabia.

Another Saudi-based footballer, Karim Benzema of Al-Ittihad, landed in eighth place with £78 million ($104 million) in total earnings.

Rounding out the top 10 are LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Juan Soto, Shohei Ohtani, and NFL quarterback Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys.

Meanwhile, Manchester City’s Erling Haaland—currently the Premier League’s top earner—came in 34th, taking home £46.5 million ($62 million) last year, with £36 million ($48 million) from his club salary.

Forbes’ Top 10 Highest-Paid Athletes 2025

1. Cristiano Ronaldo – £206.6m ($275m)
2. Stephen Curry – £117.1m ($156m)
3. Tyson Fury – £109.5m ($146m)
4. Dak Prescott – £102.8m ($137m)
5. Lionel Messi – £101.3m ($135m)
6. LeBron James – £100.4m ($133.8m)
7. Juan Soto – £85.5m ($114m)
8. Karim Benzema – £78m ($104m)
9. Shohei Ohtani – £76.9m ($102.5m)
10. Kevin Durant – £76.1m ($101.4m)

KanyiDaily recalls that Cristiano Ronaldo first became the highest paid athlete in the world in 2026 after signing £350m deal with Real Madrid.