⚽️ Ronaldo Claims Title as Highest-Paid Athlete of 2023
Cristiano Ronaldo has secured the top spot on Forbes’ list of the world’s highest-paid athletes, making him the highest-earning athlete of 2023 and earning himself a Guinness World Records title. This marks the third time Ronaldo has achieved this feat, with the previous time being in 2017. In the 12 months leading up to May 1, 2023, Ronaldo is estimated to have amassed a staggering $136 million (£107.5 million) in earnings.
Ronaldo’s rise to the top displaces Lionel Messi, who held the title of highest-paid athlete in 2022 with an estimated income of $130 million (£103 million). The Portuguese star’s record-breaking earnings are composed of $46 million (£35 million) in on-field earnings and an astounding $90 million (£68.5 million) in off-field earnings.
Following an unremarkable second stint at Manchester United, Ronaldo left the club in January 2023 and joined Saudi Arabian team Al-Nassr. This move resulted in a lucrative contract that nearly doubled his salary, estimated to be around $75 million (£57 million).
While his on-field earnings are substantial, it is Ronaldo’s off-field income that truly sets him apart. Alongside his lifetime contract with Nike, the football icon generates revenue through his CR7-branded merchandise. These lucrative ventures significantly contribute to his record-breaking earnings.
Forbes determines athletes’ incomes by gathering data from industry insiders, news reports, and salary databases. On-field earnings encompass salaries, prize money, and bonuses, while off-field earnings are an estimate of sponsorship deals, appearance fees, memorabilia, licensing income, and returns from businesses in which the athlete holds a significant interest. Notably, investment income interest payments and dividends are excluded, but athletes’ earnings from equity stake sales are accounted for.
The top three highest-paid athletes of the 2022-23 period consist of two other football/soccer players: Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé. Messi secured second place with total earnings of $130 million, evenly divided between on-field and off-field earnings. Meanwhile, Mbappé’s on-field earnings of $100 million heavily contribute to his overall earnings of $120 million.
In fourth place, LeBron James achieved a record for the highest annual earnings for a basketball player in 2023, amassing $119 million ($44.5 million on-court earnings; $75 million off-court). Fifth-ranked Canelo Alvarez secured the record for the highest annual earnings for a boxer in 2023, accumulating $110 million ($100 million in-ring earnings; $10 million outside).
Despite retiring in September 2022, Roger Federer and Serena Williams still held the records for the highest annual earnings for male and female tennis players in 2023, respectively. Federer, who ranked ninth overall, earned a total of $95.1 million, with the majority stemming from off-court earnings at $95 million, while his on-court earnings amounted to just $100,000.
