Footballer Lionel Messi was the world’s highest paid athlete in the past 12 months, according to the annual Forbeslist released Wednesday. At number two and three on the list are basketball player LeBron James and football player Cristiano Ronaldo.
Messi, striker of Paris Saint-Germain, earned 130 million dollars (almost 125 million euros) between May 1, 2021 and May 1, 2022. That amount includes $55 million in sponsorship. Last year, the Argentinian finished second behind Irish MMA fighter Conor McGregor.
LeBron James in second and Cristiano Ronaldo in third
Basketball player LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers was good for $121 million while fellow footballer Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United was credited $115 million.
Neymar and Stephen Curry fourth and fifth respectively
In fourth place on the Forbes list is Messi’s teammate Neymar ($95 million) while fifth is taken by three-time NBA champion Stephen Curry ($92.8 million) of the Golden State Warriors.
The calculated income on the sports field consists according to Forbes from all prize money, salaries and bonuses in the twelve month period. Off-field revenues are estimated based on sponsorship fees, performance fees, and licensing revenue.