Earnings for sports athletes have never been stronger. The top 25 of the world's highest-paid athletes, determined by Forbes, make a combined income of $2.8 billion.
Here are the top 25 highest-paid athletes of 2021.
Conor McGregor (UFC Fighter)
McGregor is a two-time UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) featherweight and lightweight double-champion.
After seventeen seasons with FC Barcelona, Messi made a tearful departure when management could not meet his salary demands. The soccer icon ended the year with $130 million in earnings.
Lionel Messi (Soccer)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Soccer)
With forty-seven goals across all competitions in 2021, this soccer sensation will bring home $120 million. 2021 was also a year of transition for Cristiano after leaving Italian soccer giant Juventus after three years for his former team, Manchester United.
With twenty seasons under his belt, James’ career earnings recently topped $1billion (before taxes, so he is not quite a billionaire), making it a first for an NBA player.
LeBron James (Basketball)
Neymar’s transfer from Barcelona to PSG is considered the most expensive at $263 million, landing him in the top 10 highest-paid athletes globally.
Neymar (Soccer)
Feder, the winner of twenty Grand Slam titles, one hundred and three Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) titles, and the holder of several records, brought in $90 million for the year.
Roger Federer (Tennis)