Cristiano Ronaldo has regained his title as the world’s highest paid athlete after signing a lucrative deal with Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr.
The Portuguese superstar, who left Manchester United last year, earned $136m in the past 12 months, according to Forbes’ annual list.
Paris Saint-Germain star and World Cup winner Lionel Messi came in second place with earnings of $130m. French footballer Kylian Mbappe rounded out the top three, earning $120m.
Ronaldo’s contract with Al Nassr is reportedly worth over 200m euros per year. The footballer’s previous stint as the world’s highest paid athlete was in 2017, before he was overtaken by Floyd Mayweather and Messi.
Forbes’ rankings are determined by both on-field earnings, including salaries, prize money, and bonuses, as well as off-field earnings, including sponsorship deals, appearance fees, and memorabilia and licensing income.
World’s top 10 highest paid athletes 2023
1. Cristiano Ronaldo, football: $136m (£108.7m)
2. Lionel Messi, football: $130m (£103.9m)
3. Kylian Mbappe, football: $120m (£95.9m)
4. LeBron James, basketball: $119.5m (£95.5m)
5. Canelo Alvarez, boxing: $110m (£87.9m)
6. Dustin Johnson, golf: $107m (£85.5m)
7. Phil Mickelson, golf: $106m (£84.7m)
8. Stephen Curry, basketball: $100.4m (£80.2m)
9. Roger Federer, tennis: $95.1m (£76m)
10. Kevin Durant, basketball: $89.1m (£71.2m)
