Continuing his dominance in the sports world, Cristiano Ronaldo has once again secured his place as the highest-paid athlete globally. According to the latest Sportico report, the Portuguese football icon raked in an astounding $260 million (approximately Rs 2,260 crore) in 2024. The findings also highlight the increasing dominance of older athletes in earnings. The top 10 list is predominantly filled with athletes in their mid-to-late 30s. Additionally, Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in global sports is evident, as several top earners have significantly benefited from high-paying contracts in the Saudi Pro League and other Saudi-backed sporting ventures.
However, the latest Sportico report on the 100 highest-paid athletes reveals a glaring gender disparity — no female athletes made the coveted list. There are no Indian athletes, either.
Ronaldo Reigns Supreme
Turning 40 last week, the Portuguese football legend continues to defy age and expectations. Despite being at a stage where most athletes consider retirement, Ronaldo remains at the pinnacle of his career, breaking records and earning unprecedented sums. His earnings are primarily driven by his lucrative contract with Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr, which accounts for $215 million, while an additional $45 million comes from endorsements with brands like Nike, Herbalife, Altice, and Binance, according to the report. His massive global following — he was the first individual to surpass one billion social media followers — further solidifies his marketability.
Ronaldo’s Saudi move in 2022 supercharged his earnings, setting a trend followed by several other football stars. Neymar and Karim Benzema also feature in the top 10, benefiting from lucrative Saudi contracts. However, despite earning massive sums, neither could match Ronaldo’s financial prowess.
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Lionel Messi To LeBron James: The Ageing Elite
The highest earners in 2024 predominantly belong to an older generation of athletes. Among the top eight, only Neymar, at 33, is under 36 years old. Following Ronaldo in the rankings are NBA star Stephen Curry ($153.8 million), heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury ($147 million), Argentina’s football icon Lionel Messi ($135 million), and basketball great LeBron James ($133.2 million). James, like Ronaldo, also turned 40 this year, demonstrating the financial power of established superstars.
The financial explosion in sports is largely driven by skyrocketing TV deals, increasing salary caps, and the massive influence of Saudi investment in global sports, particularly in football, boxing, golf, and tennis. The collective earnings of the top 100 athletes surged 14% from last year to a staggering $6.2 billion — $4.8 billion from salaries, bonuses, and prize money, with the remaining $1.4 billion stemming from endorsements.
A List Without Women
For the second consecutive year, no female athletes made the top 100, highlighting the stark pay disparity in professional sports. The closest contender was US tennis sensation Coco Gauff, who earned $30.4 million — $7.4 million short of the lowest-paid male athlete on the list, NFL quarterback Daniel Jones ($37.5 million). Gauff, who won the doubles title at the French Open and the singles championship at the WTA Finals, continues to be a rising star in women’s tennis. However, her impressive earnings were still not enough to break into the all-male top 100.
The gender pay gap in sports remains a contentious issue, with male athletes consistently earning higher salaries, commanding more lucrative sponsorships, and benefiting from larger prize pools.
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No Indian On The List
Surprisingly, India — one of the world’s most sports-obsessed nations — had no representation on the list. Despite cricket’s immense popularity and the Indian Premier League (IPL) being among the most lucrative sporting leagues, no Indian cricketer cracked the top 100.
Virat Kohli, often India’s highest-paid athlete, reportedly earned around $34 million in 2024, as per a Sportskeeda report — impressive but still below the $37.5 million threshold required to make the Sportico list of 100. While cricket enjoys a massive fanbase, the earning potential of its stars is yet to reach the astronomical levels seen in global football or the NBA.
Breaking Down The Numbers
Athletes from eight different sports — soccer (football), basketball (NBA), boxing, golf, tennis, American Football (NFL), baseball (MLB), Formula 1 (F1) — and 27 countries featured in the top 100. The list continues to be dominated by American athletes, with 64 representatives. The UK followed with five, while Japan and France had three each. Among team sports, the NBA led the way with 36 players, followed by the NFL with 22.
Golfers have significantly benefited from the emergence of LIV Golf, backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, resulting in nine golfers making the list. Shohei Ohtani ($72.5 million) and Tiger Woods ($62.1 million) stood out as the only two athletes who made more from endorsements than from their primary sports earnings.
The figures include taxes and agent fees, Sportico clarifies. The earnings include cash paid out in 2024 in terms of salaries and prize money, and all types of bonuses such as signing amount, incentives, playoff and more, besides endorsement income including that from sponsorships, royalties, licensing, memorabilia, appearances, and media and book deals.
“Sportico connected with more than 40 people familiar with on- and off-field athlete contracts, including those at teams, leagues, players associations, sports agencies, promotion firms and consultancies to determine the 100 highest paid,” the report said.
