Football sensation Cristiano Ronaldo has edged out his long-time rival Lionel Messi to become the highest paid sports star in the world in 2024. The Juventus forward has reportedly earned a staggering $120 million in the last year, according to Forbes’ annual list of highest-paid athletes.
Ronaldo’s earnings include his salary at Juventus, as well as endorsements and sponsorships. He recently signed a lifetime contract with sportswear giant Nike, and has endorsement deals with companies including Tag Heuer, Herbalife and Emirates airline
Source : TOI
Messi, who held the top spot in last year’s Forbes list, dropped to second place with earnings of $110 million. The Barcelona forward earns a large portion of his income through his club salary, which is said to be over $70 million per year.
Source:- india today
The rest of the top five on Forbes’ list featured basketball players, with LeBron James coming in third with earnings of $91.4 million, followed by Kevin Durant and James Harden.
Overall, the top 100 athletes on Forbes’ list earned a combined $4.2 billion over the last year, a 5% increase from the previous year. The list featured athletes from 10 different sports, with basketball dominating the rankings with 35 players.
The rise in earnings for athletes can be attributed to a combination of factors, including increasing salaries in professional sports leagues, lucrative endorsement and sponsorship deals, and the growing popularity of social media platforms among athletes.
Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the impact it has had on the sports industry, the earnings of the top athletes have continued to rise. This is partially due to the fact that many major sports leagues have been able to continue playing, albeit with limited or no spectators.
As sports continue to grow in popularity around the world, it is likely that we will see even more highly-paid athletes in the coming years. With sponsorship and endorsement deals becoming increasingly common for athletes across a wider range of sports, we may see even more footballers, basketball players, and athletes from other sports dominating the highest-paid list in the future.
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