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We all love and cherish athletes who enter the arenas of their respective sports and shed blood, sweat, and tears to give us the best performance possible. However, have you ever wondered what kind of compensation these athletes are getting for their hard work? We will answer all your questions in this article, where we will show you the salaries, business ventures, and investments that make these athletes some of the wealthiest people on the planet.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo – $269.5 Million
The Portuguese football legend, Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure from Manchester United left no dents in his pocketbook, as his recent signing with Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr team, earns him a reported $250 million yearly salary for the next two years. Along with the record high salary, he enjoys benefits including, royalties on the sale of merchandise and image rights, as well as access to brand deals. This makes him the highest-paid athlete in 2023 with a total earning of $269.5 million. It is also worth mentioning, that Cristiano Ronaldo’s business ventures such as the CR-7 clothing brand, CR-7 hotels, fitness centers, restaurants, and hair clinics he opened around the world, also contribute to his high earnings.
2. Lionel Messi – $250 Million
2022 World Cup winner and seven-time Ballon D’or holder Lionel Messi, continues to be one of the highest-paid athletes, making millions through his salary, brand endorsements, and investments. Messi’s contract with Paris Saint-German earns him roughly $168 million a year, whereas his brand endorsements with Adidas, Pepsi, Gatorade, Budweiser, and Hard rock International, earn him an estimated $78 million. Messi also continues to make money from his MIM hotel chain, clothing brand, and his new investment firm called playtime, which invests in tech start-ups. Altogether, Messi made an estimated $250 million.
3. Phil Mickelson – $138 Million
Phil Mickelson comes third on our list of highest-paid athletes in 2023. However, he is the highest-paid Golf player of the year, earning an estimated $138 million from Prize money, endorsements, and investments. The five main championships he won, along with brand endorsements from Callaway Golf, Rolex, and KPMG, as well as the launch of his very own Coffee brand and the opening of several Five Guys locations across the US, make him one of the richest golf players in the world.
4. Kylian Mbappe – $130 Million
Kylian Mbappe has proved himself to be one of the finest young players in the world with his outstanding performance in Qatar’s 2022 World Cup. There is no doubt that his hard work on the field is reflected in his bank account, with the renewal of his Paris Saint-German contract in a three-year deal worth over £550 million. He also landed lucrative brand deals with companies such as Nike, Dior, Hublot, and Oakley. Mbappe’s business ventures, such as production house Zebra valley and his angel investments, also contributed to the $130 million he earned this year.
5. Canelo Alveraz – $100 Million
Mexican boxer Canelo Alveraz has recently been dominating the boxing scene, with multiple world championships under his belt. His impressive performance in the ring earned him prizes that amounted to $50 million. His many lucrative brand deals with companies such as Louis Vuitton, Hennessy, Under Armor, and Roger Dubuis, also contributed to the estimated $100 million Alveraz made this year.
6. Stephen Curry – $96 Million
Stephen Curry AKA Chef Curry has been able to consistently maintain a spot on the highest-paid athlete list over the previous couple of years. His top-tier performance on the court awarded him a $53 million salary from the Golden State Warriors. Curry has also been able to make millions off the court with very lucrative brand deals including, endorsements from Palm electronics, the FTX trading platform, Infiniti Motor Company, and Chase bank. All in total, Stephen Curry made $96 million.
7. Kevin Durant – $85 Million
Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant, another basketball player, also found himself on the list of top-earning athletes. His ten-time NBA All-Star status along with numerous awards and accolades, award him a yearly salary of $50 million. However, much like his former teammate Stephen Curry, he’s been able to make millions off the court with lucrative brand deals including, collaborations with Google, American Family Insurance, and Sparkling Ice. Durant also cashed in from his investments in companies such as Postmates, Robinhood, Yoshi, and many more, resulting in the $85 million he made.
8. Dustin Johnson – $69 Million
Coming into eighth place is another professional Golf Player, Dustin Johnson. With the numerous championships Johnson accumulated throughout his career, he’s been able to earn an impressive yearly salary of $30 million. Much like his peers, Johnson has an extensive portfolio of brand partnerships with companies such as Rolex, Adidas, and Body Armor, contributing to his income. However, it was his victory in LIV’s Triple Crown in 2022, that awarded him large amounts of prize money and earned him the bulk of the $69 million dollars he made this year.
9. Tiger Woods – $68 Million
The legendary Billionaire Golf player Tiger Woods is no stranger to breaking records and setting the bar high in the world of sports, and this year is no different for him. Due to a severe leg injury, Woods earned most of his $68 million off course through his brand deals with Nike, Rolex, Monster Energy, and many more. Woods also made money from his firm TGR Ventures, which designs Golf Courses around the world. It is also worth mentioning, that the three games Tiger Woods played in the past 13 months, earned him roughly $30 million.
10. Bryson DeChambeau – $66 Million
Last but not least, we have yet another Golfer, Bryson DeChambeau. He’s been able to secure a spot in the highest-earning athlete list, through his many victories, most notably the 2020 US Open, which earned him roughly $23 million. The remainder of his $66 million payout, came from various brand endorsements from companies such as Bose, Bentley, Bridgestone Golf, and NetJet.
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