In a recent report by a sports website, it was revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo emerged as the highest-paid athlete in 2024, raking in a staggering $260 million. The bulk of his earnings, totaling $215 million, came from his salary and winnings playing for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia and the Portugal national team. Additionally, Ronaldo earned $45 million through various off-the-field endorsements.
Since his move to Saudi Arabia, the 40-year-old soccer star has experienced a career resurgence, scoring an impressive 82 goals in 90 games for Al-Nassr and achieving the remarkable milestone of 900 career goals in September of the previous year.
Joining Ronaldo in the top 10 were fellow soccer players Neymar and Karim Benzema, both benefiting from lucrative transfers to Saudi Arabian clubs. Notably, Neymar later returned to his childhood club, Santos.
Following Ronaldo in the earnings ranking were NBA sensation Steph Curry, who earned an estimated $153.8 million, and British boxer Tyson Fury, who secured the third spot with reported earnings of $147 million. Lionel Messi and LeBron James rounded out the top five with earnings of $135 million and $133.2 million, respectively.
Among NFL players, Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys led the pack, earning $100.4 million and finishing in 12th place. Jalen Hurts, quarterback for the Super Bowl LIX champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, earned $46.1 million, securing the 65th spot on the list.
Despite the significant earnings of male athletes, no female athletes made it into the top 100 earners. The highest-earning female athlete in 2024 was US tennis prodigy Coco Gauff, who amassed an estimated $30.4 million through notable victories at the French Open and the WTA Finals.
Overall, the top 100 list featured athletes from eight different sports and 27 countries, collectively earning a total income of $6.2 billion in 2024. This sum comprised $4.8 billion from salaries and prize money, and an additional $1.4 billion from endorsement deals off the field.
