Cristiano Ronaldo takes the lead in Forbes’ 2025 list of the world’s highest paid athletes, outperforming Stephen Curry from the Golden State Warriors and heavyweight Tyson Fury.
The ranking considers various earnings including salary, sponsorship deals, and appearance fees. Each athlete in the top ten is said to have made at least $100 million over the past year, with Ronaldo’s total reaching about $275 million, marking his third consecutive year at the top.
Curry earned approximately $156 million, while Fury garnered $146 million, coming in third. Other notable names include Dak Prescott at fourth with $137 million and Lionel Messi at fifth with $135 million.
Forbes’ 10 Highest-Paid Athletes for 2025
- Cristiano Ronaldo, soccer: $275m
- Stephen Curry, NBA: $156m
- Tyson Fury, boxing: $146m
- Dak Prescott, NFL: $137m
- Lionel Messi, soccer: $135m
- LeBron James, NBA: $133.8m
- Juan Soto, MLB: $114m
- Karim Benzema, soccer: $104m
- Shohei Ohtani, MLB: $102.5m
- Kevin Durant, NBA: $101.4m
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