LeBron James topped Sportico's list of highest-paid athletes when factoring in salary and endorsements.- James made $126.9 million and was followed by Lionel Messi at $122 million.
Men's basketball and
The list uses salaries and professional winnings on the court and field, plus estimates on what athletes earn in endorsements, licensing, appearances, and ownership stakes.
Lakers superstar LeBron James tops the list, with an estimated $126 million in earnings, with $90 million in endorsements and money made off the court. Meanwhile, Matthew Stafford led all
Two women —Naomi Osaka (20th) and Serena Williams (52nd) — earned spots on the list. Osaka made $52 million of her $53.2 million in endorsements, while Williams made $35.3 million, only $300,000 of which came in winnings.
Here's a breakdown of the top 10 on Sportico's list:
1. LeBron James — $126.9 million
Sport:
Age: 37
Earnings breakdown: $36.9 million in salary/winnings, $90 million in endorsements
One thing to know: James not only has a lengthy list of endorsements, but he owns a massive shoe deal with Nike, a stake in Red Sox and Liverpool FC parent company Fenway
2. Lionel Messi — $122 million
Sport: Soccer player
Age: 34
Earnings breakdown: $72 million in salary/winnings, $50 million in endorsements
One thing to know: Messi hasn't played up to his usual standards since making his gigantic move to PSG, but that hasn't stopped his earning power. It's been reported that he'll have the chance to extend his current two-year contract before it expires.
3. Cristiano Ronaldo — $115 million
Sport: Soccer player
Age: 37
Earnings breakdown: $60 million in salary/winnings, $55 million in endorsements
One thing to know: Ronaldo hasn't slowed down on the pitch, as he's reached 30 total goals across play with Manchester United and Portugal.
4. Neymar — $103 million
Sport: Soccer player
Age: 30
Earnings breakdown: $65 million in salary/winnings, $38 million in endorsements
One thing to know: The PSG forward is racking up endorsements, recently announcing a new partnership with e.GO Mobile, an electric car company.
5. Canelo Alvarez — $89 million
Sport: Boxer
Age: 31
Earnings breakdown: $84 million in salary/winnings, $5 million in endorsements
One thing to know: Alvarez was the world's top boxer and won three fights in 2021 before losing to Dmitry Bivol last weekend, his first loss since 2013. He still had a guaranteed $15 million purse from the fight.
6. Stephen Curry — $86.2 million
Sport: NBA player
Age: 34
Earnings breakdown: $41.2 million, $45 million
One thing to know: Curry was once underpaid in the NBA, but he's now become the first player to sign back-to-back $200 million contracts.
7. Kevin Durant — $85.9 million
Sport: NBA player
Age: 33
Earnings breakdown: $37.9 million, $48 million
One thing to know: As Sportico noted, Durant has helped build his Thirty Five Ventures into an impressive company with more than 80 investments and 32 full-time employees.
8. Roger Federer — $85.7 million
Sport:
Age: 40
Earnings breakdown: $724,000 in salary/winnings, $84 million in endorsements
One thing to know: Federer hasn't played since Wimbledon in 2021, but he still racks up endorsement money, a testament to the game's most beloved player.
9. James Harden — $76 million
Sport: NBA player
Age: 32
Earnings breakdown: $40 million in salary/winnings, $36 million in endorsements
One thing to know: Harden could climb higher on the next edition of this list if he signs the 4-year, $223 million extension he'll be eligible for next summer.
10. Tiger Woods
Sport:
Age: 46
Earnings breakdown: $8.5 million in salary/winnings, $65 million in endorsements
One thing to know: Like Federer, Woods hardly played in 2021, but that didn't stop him from making eight figures in endorsements. Woods got an $8 million bonus from the PGA's Player Impact Program.