Messi only third. Ronaldo tops list of highest-paid athletes in the world

Cristiano Ronaldo has confidently claimed the top spot on the list of the world's richest athletes, leaving even his eternal rival Lionel Messi trailing behind. The Portuguese superstar earned almost twice as much as the Argentine, cementing his position at the summit thanks largely to his lucrative contract with Saudi side Al-Nassr. This was reported by The Sun.

Footballers and basketball players traditionally dominate the list of the highest-paid athletes, but this year, stars from other sports have also made the cut. Notably, golfer Jon Rahm made a stunning leap to second place following his partnership with LIV Golf, while NFL quarterback Lamar Jackson rounded out the top ten.

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Top 10 highest-paid athletes of 2024 (amounts in millions of pounds sterling):

1. Cristiano Ronaldo (football, Al-Nassr) — 192.40
2. Jon Rahm (golf, LIV Golf) — 161.32
3. Lionel Messi (football, Inter Miami) — 99.90
4. LeBron James (basketball, Los Angeles Lakers) — 94.87
5. Giannis Antetokounmpo (basketball, Milwaukee Bucks) — 82.14
6. Kylian Mbappé (football, Real Madrid) — 81.40
7. Neymar (football, Santos / Al-Hilal) — 79.92
8. Karim Benzema (football, Al-Ittihad) — 78.44
9. Steph Curry (basketball, Golden State Warriors) — 75.38
10. Lamar Jackson (American football, Baltimore Ravens) — 74.37