Cristiano Ronaldo has become the highest paid athlete following his huge deal with Saudi Arabia based club, Al Nasser.
The talismanic forward beats his eternal rival, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe to top the pile.
Cristiano Ronaldo made a dramatic change by relocating to Saudi Arabia after a turbulent year and a half at Manchester United.
The Portuguese superstar’s decision to join Al Nassr has undoubtedly paid off. In addition to continuing to score goals in Riyadh, his massive contract also gave him a substantial pay increase.
According to Forbes, Ronaldo will reportedly receive an astounding $136 million from the deal.
For the first time since 2017 and for the third time in his career altogether, he is at the top of the list of the highest-paid athletes in the world.
Lionel Messi is listed second this year. The PSG star receives an astounding $130 million in earnings.
Closely following in third place with a fantastic haul of $120 million is teammate Kylian Mbappe. LeBron James’ earnings are comparable to his.
The LA Lakers star and NBA superstar earns $119.5 million a year. Canelo Alvarez, a boxer, rounds out the top five with $110 million in earnings.
Forbes’ List Of Highest-Paid Athletes in 2023
1) Cristiano Ronaldo (Football player) – $136 million
2) Lionel Messi (Football player) – $130 million
3) Kylian Mbappe (Football player) – $120 million
4) LeBron James (Basketball player) – $119.5 million
5) Canelo Alvarez (Boxer) – $110 million
6) Dustin Johnson (Golfer) – $107 million
7) Phil Mickelson (Golfer) – $106 million
8) Stephen Curry (Basketball player) – $100.4 million
9) Roger Federer (Former tennis player) – $95.1 million
10) Kevin Durant (Basketball player) – $89.1 million
Source: Ronaldo.com
