Forbes has published the list of the 12 highest-earning sportsmen and women in 2023-2024, and unsurprisingly, a few sports are not represented, while others, such as soccer, dominate the list. The 2024-2025 list will follow in the coming weeks, and is likely to be equally interesting!
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is the world’s top-earning sportsman in 2023-2024. On the pitch, his salary was $200 million, in addition to around sixty million in partnerships of all kinds off the pitch.
Jon Rahm
Golfer Jon Rahm ranks 2nd, with $198 million in on-course earnings, and a further $20 million in sponsorship. His stint with LIV Golf was the talk of the town, not least because of the dollars attached to the deal.
Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi, who else could close the top 3? The FC Miami player earned an astonishing $65 million as a player, and $70 million in sponsorships. His transfer to North America has given a new lease of life to the career of this outstanding player.
LeBron James
LeBron James is the NBA’s top representative on the list, with earnings of $128 million, including $80 million in sponsorships and partnerships! He is one of the most popular and successful players in the history of his sport.
Giánnis Antetokoúnmpo
Giánnis Antetokoúnmpo ranks 5th with $111 million, not far behind LeBron James. Of this total, $65 million came from sponsorships. There’s a lot of money being made in basketball in recent years, and the big guns are taking advantage of it.
Kylian Mbappé
The next three athletes are soccer players with similar incomes. Kylian Mbappé, first, has earnings of $110 million, including $90 million in player salary.
Neymar
The ever-popular Neymar, meanwhile, earned $80 million on the pitch, and $28 million off it, for an appreciable total of $108 million. That’s good for 7th place in the ranking.
Karim Benzema
And Karim Benzema, with $100 million in player earnings, and $6 million in partnerships, completes the soccer sequence. This sport has followed the trend of other major elite competitions on the planet, and the dollars are now rolling in.
Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry is the NBA’s third-richest sportsman in 2023-2024, with earnings of $102 million, split almost equally between player salary ($52 million) and sponsorship income ($50 million).
Lamar Jackson
The NFL’s first player of the year, Lamar Jackson will earn a “meager” $2 million in sponsorships in 2023-2024, but $98 million in on-field earnings, thanks to a gigantic $75 million signing bonus! Deals that are more lucrative up front are very popular with athletes.
Joe Burrow
It’s a similar story for quarterback Joe Burrow: $100 million, including $96 million in player salary. Once again, he too had just signed a new deal, and several million were guaranteed from day one of the contract.
Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant closes the top 12, with receipts of $93 million, including over $45 million in partnerships of all kinds. Durant is in the same category as the basketball greats when it comes to sponsorship and partnership agreements: the name sells!
