Conor McGregor ahead of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in Forbes list

Forbes released a list of top 10 highest paid athletes in the world since May 1st 2020 to May 1st 2021.

Conor McGregor and Cristiano Ronaldo strike a pose, Image credit: Twitter
By Amruth Kalidas | May 15, 2021 | 6 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

For much of 2020, the world’s leading athletes were side-lined, working for reduced pay, playing to empty seats or isolated in competitive bubbles. This is designed to thwart a pandemic that has sapped billions of dollars from professional sports. Still, for the best of the best, things couldn’t be better,at least in terms of their financial heft. The ten highest-paid athletes in the world took home pre-tax gross earnings of $1.05 billion during the past 12 months, 28% more than last year’s top earners. The combined haul falls just a few million short of the $1.06 billion record set in 2018, the 12-month window in which boxer Floyd Mayweather earned $285 million, almost all of it from his 2017 pay-per-view fight with Conor McGregor.

Here’s the top ten (1-10):

  • Conor McGregor, UFC: $180 million

Conor McGregor collected a total of $180 million over the last 12 months. Most of that comes from his recent sale of his majority stake in whiskey brand Proper No. Twelve to Proximo Spirits for $150 million. It’s the 32-year-old’s first time at No. 1 and his second appearance in the top ten, earlier he landed at No. 4 with $99 million in 2018 after his fight against Mayweather. But Conor McGregor clearly wants to put his money to work even beyond booze. He has floated the far-fetched notion of buying Manchester United, the Premier League’s most valuable team, in his recent tweets.

Conor McGregor made $158 million outside of his fighting career over the last 12 months. Thus he became only the third athlete, after Roger Federer and Tiger Woods, to earn more than $70 million off the field in a single year while still actively competing.

  • Lionel Messi, Barcelona: $130 million

Lionel Messi kept the soccer world on edge with last year’s failed attempt to leave Barcelona. This was a melodrama later punctuated by a leaked contract that showed the cash-strapped club is paying him far more than previously thought. He pads that pay with sponsorships including a lifetime deal with Adidas. He also has a clothing line designed by Ginny Hilfiger, sister of Tommy Hilfiger. Last month, Messi sent signed jerseys to Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac. This was to help secure 50,000 Covid-19 vaccines ahead of the Copa America soccer tournament.  Expect more intrigue when his contract expires in June.

On the field Lionel Messi has earned $97 million and off the field he earned $33 million which makes it 130$ million to his name and makes him the second highest paid athlete.

  • Cristiano Ronaldo, Juventus: $120 million

Cristiano Ronaldo became the first person in the world to reach 500 million followers across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter in February and followed that up a month later by surpassing Brazilian legend Pele’s goal tally, reaching 770 across all competitions with a hat trick in a Juventus win over Cagliari. The 36-year-old, whose four-year contract is worth an average of $64 million annually and expires in 2022. He has a lifetime deal with Nike and is behind the CR7 business of branded clothing, accessories, hotels and gyms.

On the field Cristiano Ronaldo has earned $70 million. He also earned a staggering $50 million off the field. This makes him the third highest paid athlete with $120 million to his name.

  • Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys: $107.5 million

The $66 million signing bonus that came with Dak Prescott’s four-year, $160 million contract extension pushes the Cowboys star into the $100 million club as he returns from an ankle injury. The outlook is bright for the quarterback of the world’s most valuable sports team, whose endorsement portfolio already includes Sleep Number, 7/11 and DirecTV. Prescott also recently announced an investment in four Texas locations of the restaurant chain Walk-On’s.

The Cowboys star earned $97.5 million on the field and $10 million off the field; making him the 4th highest paid athlete with $107.5 million to his name.

  • LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers: $96.5 million

It’s been a banner year for LeBron James, whose NBA-record earnings total follows his fourth championship in October. He’s not slowing down, either: The 36-year-old looks as dominant as ever on the court, is debuting as a Hollywood leading man with the July release of Space Jam: A New Legacy and boasts a new deal with PepsiCo after leaving long-time partner Coca-Cola. He also recently purchased a small stake in Fenway Sports Group, which owns the Boston Red Sox, Liverpool FC and Roush Fenway Racing.

On the field LeBron has earned $31.5 million while earning a staggering $65 million off the field. Making him the 5th highest paid athlete with $96.5 million to his name.

  • Neymar, Paris Saint-Germain: $95 million

Neymar’s 282 million followers across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter make him the third-most-popular athlete on social media, behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi–and make him a major draw for brands. Last year, he announced an early exit from his contract with Nike’s Jordan Brand and became a brand ambassador for Puma, with a signature version of its King shoes. Last month, Epic Games introduced the avid video gamer into its blockbuster game Fortnite with an in-game skin and a competition to win a pair of his shoes.

Neymar has racked up $76 million on the field and $19 million off the field making him the 6th highest paid athlete in the world.

  • Roger Federer, tennis: $90 million

Out of commission for much of the last year with a knee injury, Roger Federer made nearly all of his $90 million in earnings from sponsorships with brands like Rolex, Credit Suisse and Uniqlo. The tennis legend’s biggest payday yet may come from his stake in Swiss athletic apparel company On, which is reportedly eyeing an autumn 2021 IPO.

These numbers are just astonishing, out of action from the game but still manages to make it into the top 10 list. Roger has earned $90 million from endorsements and sponsorships while earning just 0.03$million on the field making him the 7th highest paid athlete.

  • Lewis Hamilton, Formula 1: $82 million

After racing to his sixth Formula 1 championship in seven seasons in 2020, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton lands in the top ten for only the second time ever, having placed tenth in 2017 with $46 million. His 11 race wins last season netted him healthy bonus payments to go with an endorsement stable that includes Tommy Hilfiger, Monster Energy and Puma. He is also launching a team on the Extreme E racing series.

The six-time Formula 1 Champion earned $70 million on the racing track and off the track he earned $12million making him the 8th highest paid athlete with $82 million to his name.

  • Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $76 million

At age 43, Tom Brady just turned in the most lucrative year of his storied career. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback added endorsement deals with eyewear maker Christopher Cloos and apparel juggernaut Fanatics while collecting big bucks as a speaker on the virtual circuit and as a commercial pitchman. Brady, who had already dipped his toe into entrepreneurship with his wellness brand TB12, recently launched a film production company and an NFT platform.

The seven-time Super Bowl Champion, earned $45million on the field and $31 million off the field making him the 9th highest paid athlete with $76 million to his name.

  • Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets: $75 million

Kevin Durant, dazzling with the Brooklyn Nets after an Achilles injury sidelined him for the 2019-20 season, has become a full-blown media mogul with ‘Boardroom’ and his firm ‘Thirty-Five Ventures’. He was an executive producer of Two Distant Strangers, which took home the Oscar for best live-action short film last month, and he purchased a stake in MLS’s Philadelphia Union last summer. Durant also cashed in last year when Uber bought Postmates, having invested roughly $1 million in the start-up in 2016 at a discounted entry price.

The Brooklyn star, earned $31 million on the court while earning $44 million off the court making him the 10th highest paid athlete with $75 million to his name.