In the list of 10 richest athletes in the world in 2024, Cristiano Ronaldo is at the top with a total income of 260 million USD, nearly double that of Lionel Messi – 135 million USD, ranked third.

According to Forbes , Ronaldo tops the list with an estimated total income of about 260 million USD, the highest of all time for a football player. Of which, 200 million USD comes from activities on the field, the remaining 60 million USD comes from advertising contracts.

This is the 4th time Ronaldo has topped this list. The achievement is truly impressive because CR7 did this at nearly 40 years old, the age on the other side of the “career slope” for most professional football players.

Ronaldo’s total income is nearly double that of Messi in 2024

Another notable name in football mentioned by Forbes is Lionel Messi.

The 37-year-old Argentine superstar ranked third on the list thanks to earning $135 million in 2024, including $65 million in playing fees and $70 million from advertising contracts.

Sandwiched between the two soccer stars is Spanish golfer Jon Rahm, who is expected to earn $218 million in 2024.

American basketball star LeBron James ranked 4th with an income of 128.2 million USD. Like Ronaldo, LeBron James still surprises the world even though he is 39 years old.

Forbes ‘ list also includes some famous faces in football such as Mbappe (110 million USD – 6th place), Neymar (108 million USD – 7th place), Karim Benzema (107 million euros – 8th place)…