The Richest Players in the World

The Richest Players in the World

$130 MILLION LIONEL MESSI

Lionel Messi's $20 million annual partnership with Socios complements a portfolio that includes Adidas, Budweiser and PepsiCo. He also became Hard Rock International's first brand ambassador in a deal announced last June, helping Messi team up with Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo for the first time since 2013 to generate off-field revenue. Messi won the 2021 Ballon d'Or as the world's top male player but has struggled on the pitch more than lately, scoring just nine goals in 32 games for Paris Saint-Germain after failing in his last season for Barcelona in Scored 38 goals in 47 games. But while PSG were eliminated in the Champions League round of 16, the club won the French Ligue 1 title in Messi's debut season.

LeBron James $121.2M $

LeBron James Los Angeles Lakers haven't made the playoffs this season, but he's never been more dominant off the court. James proceeded in last years Space Jam A New Legacy and recently moved his talk show The Shop from HBO to YouTube. In October, he sold a large minority stake in SpringHill the production company behind both projects — for a value of about $725 million, taking his net worth to $850 million, according to Forbes estimates. After James announced an endorsement deal with Crypto.com in January, he appeared in a Super Bowl commercial alongside a computer-generated version of his younger self. He also recently invested in home gym  Tonal as a sports tech startup developing virtual reality training products.

 $115 MILLION CRISTIANO RONALDO

Cristiano Ronaldo, like rival Lionel Messi, had a disappointing debut season with his new club, with Manchester United stuck in sixth place in the Premier League table with a game to go. Now there are rumors that Ronaldo, who previously played for Man U between 2003 and 2009, could be back in the summer transfer window. Much of Ronaldo's earning potential comes from his massive social media presence: he has 690 million followers across Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, which gives him the advantage of charging sky-high fees from sponsors such as Nike, Herbalife and Clear Shampoo. He's also an investor in Tatel restaurants, including a new Beverly Hills location, and is the face of an upcoming app that aims to become a digital soccer community.

 $95 MILLION NEYMAR

Neymar scored his 400th career goal in November but like Lionel Messi, he drew criticism after Paris Saint-Germain's early elimination from the Champions League. His focus now is on the World Cup in Qatar in the fall, which he says could be his last. Off the field he has won a number of prestigious accolades including Puma and Red Bull and is the subject of a new Netflix documentary series, Neymar: The Perfect Chaos. He's also delving into the world of NFTs, signing with NFTSTAR in November and spending over $1 million in one day on two Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs in January.

$92.8 MILLION STEPHEN CURRY

No NBA player has earned more this season than Stephen Curry, and the Golden State Warriors guard is getting a pay raise after winning a four-year, $215 million extension last August signed Dollar. He will earn about $48 million from court next season, and in 2025-26 that will increase to almost $60 million. Curry's new FTX endorsement deal also included an equity investment, and in December he delved deeper into the blockchain by releasing the NFT collection, which featured his sneakers and linked to three Metaverse platforms.

$92.1 MILLION KEVIN DURANT

Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant makes about $28 million annually from Nike, and among active players, the sneaker offering is second only to LeBron James ($32 million). He's recently struck deals with Coinbase, NBA Top Shot, and Weedmaps, but with media outlet Boardroom and investment firm Thirty Five Ventures, his business empire extends well beyond endorsements. OpenSea's NFT platform and digital fitness startup Future are among recent investments, supporting SeatGeek's SPAC merger.

$90.7M $ ROGER FEDERER

Injuries limited Roger Federer to a total of six tournaments in 2020 and 2021 and he has yet to return to the tennis court in 2022.Regardless, the former world No. 1 remains a top contender in esports, promoting brands like Uniqlo and Rolex. He also invested in fledgling Swiss shoe brand On in 2019, and the company went public in September, raising more than $600 million. We work closely on product design," Federer told Forbes at the time.

90 MILLION $ CANELO ALVAREZ

Canelo Alvarez is a boxer who has made at least $40 million from his two PAYG viewership wins in May and November last yearOutside the ring, Alvarez has a profitable partnership with Hennessy and owns a taco restaurant in his native Mexico, with plans to expand into California. Alvarez said last year he would be starting a chain of gas stations and his Canelo Promotions are hosting a series of fights in Mexico in partnership with Matchroom Boxing and DAZN.

$83.9 MILLION TOM BRADY

Tom Brady's offseason retirement lasted less than six weeks, which is good news for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after capping a spectacular 2021 season at 43. He's definitely learning new things and tricks off the pitch.Autograph, the NFT platform Brady co-founded last year, raised $170 million in a Series B funding round announced in January, and Religion of Sports, the production company he co-founded with Michael Strahan of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and director Gotham Chopra, announced a content deal with Skydance Sports.

$80.9M GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO

While Neymar turns 30 in February, Giannis Antetokounmpo is the only member of this year's top 10 who is still 20 years old. The two-time Milwaukee Bucks MVP signed a five year, $228 million contract in December 2020, the NBA's largest contract by total value to date. He was one of the investors in watch resale platform WatchBox, a $165 million funding round announced in November, and signed a licensing agreement with NFT platform NFTSTAR, adding WhatsApp and the Google Pixel 6 phone to their advertising stable. And Antetokounmpo will soon be able to live his life story in the biopic Rise, coming to Disney Plus in June.