Being a world-class men’s soccer player seems to be a good way to make a lot of money.
The Beautiful Game leads the way with five of the top 10 spots in Sportico‘s list of the world’s highest-paid athletes in 2024, released Wednesday.
Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, currently playing for Al-Nassr of Saudi Arabia, leads the way with earnings of US$260 million ($215 million in salary/winnings and $45 million in endorsements).
Other soccer players in the top 10 are Lionel Messi, Neymar, Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappe.
Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry is one of only two Americans in the top 10. He is second overall, but well behind Ronaldo with his combined earnings of $153.8 million. LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers is the second American in the top 10, placing fifth at $133.2 million.
Two Canadians are on the list, and both are basketball players. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder is 42nd at $52.9 million and Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets is 91st at $38.9 million.
Newly signed Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer, 40, is 41st at $54 million, but the three-time Cy Young winner is unlikely to make the 2025 list after signing a one-year, $15.5 million deal with Toronto.
Former Toronto Raptors on the list are Kawhi Leonard (40th, $54.8 million), Fred VanVleet (79th, $42.6 million) and Pascal Siakam (tied for 81st, $42 million). All three helped the Raptors win the 2019 NBA championship before striking richer deals.
Sportico says American tennis star Coco Gauff was the top-earning female athlete at $30.4 million, more than $7 million behind No. 100 overall Daniel Jones, a backup quarterback with the Minnesota Vikings at the end of the 2024 season.
The list includes eight sports with athletes from 27 countries, but hockey was shut out.
Sportico’s top 10 athletes in earnings in 2024
