Ronaldo, Messi top world’s highest-paid athletes
Overage soccer players Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are not competing at the 2016 Olympic Games but their sporting records and global fame make them the two highest-paid athletes in the world.
Overage soccer players Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are not competing at the 2016 Olympic Games but their sporting records and global fame make them the two highest-paid athletes in the world.
According to Forbes magazine, Portugal’s Ronaldo topped the 2016 ranking of the world’s highest-paid athletes with an US$88-million pay over the past 12 months. The Real Madrid forward earned US$56 million from his salary and winnings, apart from the US$32 million he got from his various endorsement contracts.
Argentina’s Messi followed with US$81.4 million pay. The FC Barcelona forward pocketed US$53.4 million from salary and winnings, as well as US$28 million earnings from several brand endorsements.
American basketball player LeBron James landed on top 3 after making US$77.2 million. The Cleveland Cavaliers power forward earned US$54 million from his endorsements gigs but made only US$23.2 million from his salary and winnings.
Swiss tennis player Roger Federer took the fourth spot with US$67.8 million while American basketball player Kevin Durant followed with US$56.2 million earnings.
Serbian Novak Djokovic, who is considered as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, raked in US$55.8 million total earnings and secured the sixth spot on the 2016 rankings.
Meanwhile, American football quarterback Cam Newton was adjudged top 7 with a US$53.1 million earnings. Narrowly following the Carolina Panthers player is American golfer Phil Mickelson who earned a total of US$52.9 million and another American golfer, Jordan Spieth with US$52.8 million earnings.
Retired American basketball player Kobe Bryant still made it to the top 10 despite ending his 20-year National Basketball Association career with the Los Angeles Lakers. Earnings from his various endorsements and winnings equally contribute to his US$50 million earning for the scoring period.
According to Forbes magazine, the world’s 100 top-earning athletes came from 23 countries and earned a cumulative US$3.25 billion.