Mayweather, Messi, Ronaldo top list of 2018 highest earners

By Fatih Erel on December 27, 2018

American boxer Floyd Mayweather reclaimed his title as the world's highest-paid athletes in 2018 with $285 million earnings.

Forbes on Thursday released its list of the world's 100 highest-paid athletes.

A 41-year-old boxer was followed by Argentinean footballer Lionel Messi with $111 million, and Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo with $108 million.

Barcelona's Messi, Juventus' Ronaldo, Paris Saint-Germain's Neymar are the footballers who made an appearance among the top 10 highest-paid athletes of the year.

The Forbes list also featured 40 basketball players. Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James ($85,5 million), Stephen Curry ($76,9 million), and Kevin Durant ($57,3 million) of Golden State Warriors, Oklahoma City Thunder's Russell Westbrook ($47,6 million) and Houston Rockets' James Harden ($46,4 million) were inscribed on the list.

It also includes 18 names from American football, 14 from baseball, 9 from football, 5 from golf and martial arts each and 4 from tennis, 3 from motor sports and 1 from athletics and cricket each.

The world's highest-paid top 10 athletes in 2018 are as follows: 

 AthletesCountryBranchEarnings ($)
1 Floyd Mayweather USA Boxing 285 million
2 Lionel Messi Argentina Football 111 million
3 Cristiano Ronaldo Portugal Football 108 million
4 Conor McGregor Ireland Republic Mixed martial arts 99 million
5 Neymar Brazil Football 90 million
6 LeBron James USA Basketball 85,5 million
7 Roger Federer Switzerland Tennis 77,2 million
8 Stephen Curry USA Basketball 76,9 million
9 Matt Ryan USA American football 67,3 million
10 Matthew Stafford USA American football 59,5 million

Mayweather's all-time earnings reached $1,07 billion.

He became the sixth athlete who exceeded $1 billion all-time earnings after Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Michael Schumacher.

The highest-paid athletes of all time are as follows:

 AthletesCountryBranchEarning ($)
1 Michael Jordan USA Basketball 1,85 billion
2 Tiger Woods USA Golf 1,7 billion
3 Arnold Palmer USA Golf 1,4 billion
4 Jack Nicklaus USA Golf 1,2 billion
5 Floyd Mayweather USA Boxing 1,07 billion
6 Michael Schumacher Germany Motor sports 1 billion
7 Phil Mickelson USA Golf 815 million
8 Kobe Bryant USA Basketball 800 million
9 David Beckham England Football 800 million
10 Shaquille O'Neal USA Basketball 735 million
11 LeBron James USA Basketball 730 million
12 Cristiano Ronaldo Portugal Football 725 million
13 Greg Norman Australia Golf 705 million
14 Mike Tyson USA Boxing 700 million
15 Roger Federer Switzerland Tennis 675 million
16 Lionel Messi Argentina Football 600 million
17 Alex Rodriguez USA Baseball 575 million
18 Jeff Gordon USA Motor sports 525 million
19 Oscar De La Hoya USA Boxing

520 million

•Credit (except headline): Anadolu Agency. Photo shows, L-R: Mayweather, Messi, Ronaldo

Source Daily Sports

Posted December 28, 2018


 

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