Superstar footballer Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest-paid athlete for 2025 according to a report published by Forbes. Ronaldo has topped Forbes’ list of the world’s highest-paid athletes for a third straight year.
The Portuguese footballer who currently plays club football for Saudi Arabia based Al Nasr has earned $275 million from his on-field and off-field commitments. According to Forbes’ a major portion of Ronaldo’s income came from off-field ventures which includes endorsements and sponsorships. The fact that Ronaldo, who turned 40 this February, endorses some of the biggest brands in the world is due to his massive social media reach — a staggering 939 million followers as of May.
Nike, Altice, Herbalife, DAZN, MTG, Clear shampoo, Abbott and Unilever are some of the brands that Ronaldo is the face of.
American basketball player Stephen Curry who plays NBA for Golden State Warriors is second on the list with a combined earnings of $156 million. In March this year he became the first player to hit 4,000 career three-pointers, benefited from strong endorsement deals and NBA salary boosts.
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Professional boxer Tyson Fury has secured the third spot with total earnings of $146 million. Fury faced a big setback last year as he lost his heavyweight titles to rival Oleksandr Usyk. But the loss could not dent his earnings as he his wealth surged through endorsements, a Maltese tourism campaign, and his Netflix reality show.
Dak Prescott, an American Football player (American football not to be confused with football), follows Fury on this elite list. Prescott, who plays for Dallas Cowboys, has amassed a wealth of $137 million. His earnings have been fulled by by record-breaking signing bonuses and a lucrative contract extension.
Eight-time Ballon D’Or (considered one of the most prestigious trophies in football) winner Lionel Messi has claimed the fifth spot with total earnings $135 million. Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain now plays football in America for Inter Miami. Adidas, PepsiCo, Gillette, Gatorade, Huawei are some of the brands that Messi endorses.
Basketball legend LeBron James follows in sixth place with earnings worth $133.8 million. James, who will turn 41 this year, is in the twilight of his career. James is known for his business ventures which include investments in companies like Fenway Sports Group, Blaze Pizza, and Ladder Hydration.
Juan Soto, a Dominican baseball player, grabbed the seventh spot with $114 million earnings. In December last year, Soto signed the biggest contract in Major League Baseball history as agreed to a 15-year deal worth $765 million with his team New York Mets.
French striker Karim Benzema, who won Ballon D’Or in 2022, is placed eighth with $104 million in total earnings. Benzema moved from Real Madrid to Saudi club Al Ittihad in 2023.
Japanese baseball sensation Shohei Ohtani is ninth with $102.5 million. While deferring much of his MLB salary from the Los Angeles Dodgers, Ohtani saw a major income boost following the team’s World Series triumph
Rounding out the top 10 is NBA star Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns, earning $101.4 million through a combination of NBA salary and diverse business ventures.
Prakhar Sachdeo
The Sportz Planet Desk
