Cristiano Ronaldo in a league of his own: Outshines Messi, Neymar, Mbappe as 2024 highest-paid athlete
Cristiano Ronaldo has long been a global icon in soccer, and even in his 40s, he remains one of the sport’s most sought-after talents. A recent ranking, however, has highlighted the Al Nassr star’s dominance in sports earnings, with Ronaldo once again named the highest-paid athlete of 2024, surpassing superstars like Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappe.
As part of Saudi Arabia’s initiative to bolster its soccer league and develop a stronger football culture, Ronaldo made the surprise move to Al Nassr in December 2022. Since then, the Portuguese forward has not only become the face of the Saudi Pro League but also the highest-paid individual in world sports.
According to Sportico, a leading American sports finance publication, Ronaldo’s 2024 earnings top the list for the second consecutive year, with a total income of $260 million. Of that sum, $215 million comes from his salary and prizes, while $45 million is generated from endorsements.
Ronaldo is truly in a league of his own. The second spot on the list is held by NBA legend Stephen Curry, who signed a renewal with the Golden State Warriors in August 2024. Curry’s total income of $153.8 million, including $53.8 million in salary and $100 million in endorsements, is just over 60% of Ronaldo’s total earnings.
Top 10 highest-paid athletes
With Ronaldo leading the pack and soccer dominating the list, here are the top 10 highest-paid athletes for 2024, according to Sportico:
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Soccer) – Total income: $260M.
- Stephen Curry (Basketball) – Total income: $153.8M
- Tyson Fury (Boxing) – Total income: $147M
- Lionel Messi (Soccer) – Total income: $135M.
- LeBron James (Basketball) – Total income: $133.2M.
- Neymar (Soccer) – Total income: $133M.
- Oleksandr Usyk (Boxing) – Total income: $122M.
- Karim Benzema (Soccer) – Total income: $116M.
- Kylian Mbappe (Soccer) – Total income: $110M.
- Jon Rahm (Golf) – Total income: $105.8M.
Soccer players in the ranking
In addition to Ronaldo, several other soccer players also feature prominently in the top 10. Messi, whose current earnings with Inter Miami include $60 million from salary and $75 million in endorsements and is the face of Major League Soccer, ranks fourth.
Neymar, playing for Al Hilal before his return to Santos, earned $108 million from salary and $25 million from endorsements. Benzema (earning $108M and $8M) and Mbappe ($85M salary, $25M in endorsements) also make the list, with Mbappe being the highest-paid player in Europe.
Other soccer players included in the list are Erling Haaland (24th with $70M), Mohamed Salah (38th with $55M), Vinicius Junior (38th with $55M), Riyad Mahrez (44th with $52M), Sadio Mane (67th with $45.5M), Harry Kane (81th with $42M), and Kevin de Bruyne (89th with $39.5M).