Every year, Forbes releases the totals of the highest-paid athletes in the world. People idolize these sports figures, and their pockets run deep because of their top-notch talent.
Unlike many years in the past, there are no boxers in the top 10. Floyd Mayweather has seen his name near the top on several occasions. This year, the No. 1 spot goes to a tennis player.
This year, the highest-paid athlete in the world is Roger Federer. The tennis star has earned $106.3 million from a combination of his salary, winnings, and endorsement deals.
The 38-year-old is in the later stage of his career but is still making plenty of cash. A lot of that has to do with the $300 million contract he signed with a Japanese retail company called Uniqlo.
“We feel the greatest impact of Roger Federer is yet to come,” Uniqlo head of global creative John Jay told Kurt Badenhausen of Forbes. “Of course, it will be fueled by his status as the greatest of all time, but Roger’s ability to bring positive change to the world is his future and ours.”
Federer was on the list last year but was at No. 5. He jumped several people in the last 12 months.
Close But …
One of those he passed comes in at the second spot. Cristiano Ronaldo, who was at the top of this list last year, only fell short by a little over a million dollars. His total earnings were $105 million.
The third and fourth spots are soccer players as well. Lionel Messi made $104 million, and Neymar came in with $95.5 million. With the worldwide attention these soccer icons receive, it comes at no shock that they are regulars on this list of highest-paid athletes.
“The coronavirus pandemic triggered salary cuts for soccer stars Messi and Ronaldo, clearing the way for a tennis player to rank as the world’s highest-paid athlete for the first time,” Forbes senior editor Kurt Badenhausen wrote.
The complete list:
- Roger Federer (tennis): $106.3 million
- Cristiano Ronaldo (soccer): $105 million
- Lionel Messi (soccer): $104 million
- Neymar (soccer): $95.5 million
- LeBron James (basketball): $88.2 million
- Stephen Curry (basketball): $74.4 million
- Kevin Durant (basketball): $63.9 million
- Tiger Woods (golf): $62.3 million
- Kirk Cousins (football): $60.5 million
- Carson Wentz (football): $59.1 million
Basketball and football take up most of the rest, along with Tiger Woods.
Top Female
Meanwhile, the top female athlete in earnings was also a tennis player. Naomi Osaka had the highest earnings for a female athlete in the history of Forbes’ tracking.
The 22-year-old has discussed that she has been trying to overcome her shyness on a global platform. If she does, that only means more endorsements and deals that she will receive.
“For me, I have a lot of regrets before I go to sleep, and most of the regret is that I don’t speak out about what I’m thinking,” Osaka told CNN Sport.