Sports business website Sportico has released its list of the top 100 highest-paid athletes for the last year – and it makes for very interesting reading.
Despite the impact of COVID-19 around the world, these stars raked in some eye-watering sums over the last 12 months. The combined revenue total for the top 100 sits at a staggering $4.2 billion (close to £3 billion!)
The rankings take an overall look at the income of each individual. Cash from endorsements, merchandise and other such revenue streams are added to the salary and prize money earned over the last 12 months to calculate the total for each entry.
| Rank | Athlete | Sport | Team | Logo | Salary/Winnings | Endorsements | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Conor McGregor | 🥋 | $28M | $180M | $208M | ||
| 2 | Lionel Messi | ⚽ | Barcelona |  | $91M | $35M | $126M |
| 3 | Cristiano Ronaldo | ⚽ | Juventus |  | $70M | $50M | $120M |
| 4 | Dak Prescott | 🏈 | Dallas Cowboys |  | $97.4M | $11M | $108.4M |
| 5 | LeBron James | 🏀 | Los Angeles Lakers |  | $31.8M | $70M | $101.8M |
| 6 | Neymar | ⚽ | Paris Saint-Germain |  | $75M | $25M | $100M |
| 7 | Roger Federer | 🎾 | $46K | $84M | $84M | ||
| 8 | Tom Brady | 🏈 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |  | $58.4M | $22M | $80.4M |
| 9 | Kevin Durant | 🏀 | Brooklyn Nets |  | $32.1M | $48M | $80.1M |
| 10 | Stephen Curry | 🏀 | Golden State Warriors |  | $34.5M | $40M | $74.5M |
| 11 | Lewis Hamilton | 🏎️ | Mercedes |  | $50M | $14M | $64M |
| 12 | Canelo Álvarez | 🥊 | $61M | $2M | $63M | ||
| 13 | Tiger Woods | 🏌️ | $191K | $62M | $62.2M | ||
| 14 | Russell Westbrook | 🏀 | Washington Wizards |  | $33.1M | $28M | $61.1M |
| 15 | Naomi Osaka | 🎾 | $5.2M | $50M | $55.2M | ||
| 16 | James Harden | 🏀 | Brooklyn Nets | | $33.1M | $18M | $51.1M |
| 17 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | 🏀 | Milwaukee Bucks |  | $22.2M | $27M | $49.2M |
| 18 | David Bakhtiari | 🏈 | Green Bay Packers |  | $48M | $250K | $48.2M |
| 19 | Ronnie Stanley | 🏈 | Baltimore Ravens |  | $47.1M | $100K | $47.2M |
| 20 | Patrick Mahomes | 🏈 | Kansas City Chiefs |  | $32.5M | $14M | $46.5M |
| 21 | Phil Mickelson | 🏌️ | $4.1M | $42M | $46.1M | ||
| 22 | Joey Bosa | 🏈 | Los Angeles Chargers |  | $43M | $750K | $43.8M |
| 23 | Klay Thompson | 🏀 | Golden State Warriors | | $28.3M | $15M | $43.3M |
| 24 | Kyrie Irving | 🏀 | Brooklyn Nets | | $26.2M | $17M | $43.2M |
| 25 | Trent Williams | 🏈 | San Francisco 49ers |  | $42.8M | $75K | $42.9M |
| 26 | Myles Garrett | 🏈 | Cleveland Browns |  | $42.5M | $300K | $42.8M |
| 27 | Jalen Ramsey | 🏈 | Los Angeles Rams |  | $42.2M | $400K | $42.6M |
| 28 | Gareth Bale | ⚽ | Tottenham Hotspur |  | $35.9M | $6M | $41.9M |
| 29 | Dustin Johnson | 🏌️ | $24.8M | $16M | $40.8M | ||
| 30 | Antoine Griezmann | ⚽ | Barcelona | | $34.6M | $6M | $40.6M |
| 31 | Damian Lillard | 🏀 | Portland Trail Blazers |  | $25.4M | $15M | $40.4M |
| 32 | Chris Paul | 🏀 | Phoenix Suns |  | $33.2M | $7M | $40.2M |
| 33 | Kylian Mbappé | ⚽ | Paris Saint-Germain | | $29.1M | $11M | $40.1M |
| 34 | DeAndre Hopkins | 🏈 | Arizona Cardinals |  | $38M | $1.5M | $39.5M |
| 35 | Andrés Iniesta | ⚽ | Vissel Kobe |  | $30M | $9M | $39M |
| 36 | Leonard Williams | 🏈 | New York Giants |  | $38.6M | $200K | $38.8M |
| 37 | Marlon Humphrey | 🏈 | Baltimore Ravens | | $37.1M | $250K | $37.3M |
| 38 | Paul George | 🏀 | Los Angeles Clippers |  | $28.5M | $8.5M | $37M |
| 39 | Anthony Davis | 🏀 | Los Angeles Lakers | | $26.6M | $10M | $36.6M |
| 39 | Francisco Lindor | ⚾ | New York Mets |  | $34.6M | $2M | $36.6M |
| 41 | Chris Jones | 🏈 | Kansas City Chiefs | | $36.1M | $100K | $36.2M |
| 41 | Shaquil Barrett | 🏈 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | | $36M | $200K | $36.2M |
| 43 | Mohamed Salah | ⚽ | Liverpool |  | $25.1M | $11M | $36.1M |
| 44 | Serena Williams | 🎾 | $1.5M | $34M | $35.5M | ||
| 45 | Deshaun Watson | 🏈 | Houston Texans |  | $29.4M | $6M | $35.4M |
| 46 | Matt Judon | 🏈 | New England Patriots |  | $34.8M | $150K | $35M |
| 47 | Jimmy Butler | 🏀 | Miami Heat |  | $27.8M | $7M | $34.8M |
| 48 | J.J. Watt | 🏈 | Arizona Cardinals | | $27.5M | $7M | $34.5M |
| 48 | John Wall | 🏀 | Houston Rockets |  | $33M | $1.5M | $34.5M |
| 50 | Paul Pogba | ⚽ | Manchester United |  | $27.4M | $7M | $34.4M |
| 51 | Kawhi Leonard | 🏀 | Los Angeles Clippers | | $27.6M | $6M | $33.6M |
| 52 | Novak Djokovic | 🎾 | $4.4M | $29M | $33.4M | ||
| 53 | Eden Hazard | ⚽ | Real Madrid |  | $29M | $4M | $33M |
| 54 | Rory McIlroy | 🏌️ | $4.8M | $28M | $32.8M | ||
| 55 | Ben Simmons | 🏀 | Philadelphia 76ers |  | $24.6M | $8M | $32.6M |
| 56 | Bud Dupree | 🏈 | Tennessee Titans |  | $31.8M | $150K | $32M |
| 57 | Joe Thuney | 🏈 | Kansas City Chiefs | | $31.8M | $75K | $31.9M |
| 58 | Robert Lewandowski | ⚽ | Bayern Munich |  | $26.6M | $5M | $31.6M |
| 59 | Virat Kohli | 🏏 | Royal Challengers Bangalore |  | $3.5M | $28M | $31.5M |
| 60 | Devin Booker | 🏀 | Phoenix Suns | | $23.6M | $7M | $30.6M |
| 60 | Kemba Walker | 🏀 | Boston Celtics |  | $27.6M | $3M | $30.6M |
| 62 | Blake Griffin | 🏀 | Brooklyn Nets | | $27M | $3M | $30M |
| 63 | Tyler Lockett | 🏈 | Seattle Seahawks |  | $29.2M | $600K | $29.8M |
| 64 | Joel Embiid | 🏀 | Philadelphia 76ers | | $23.7M | $6M | $29.7M |
| 65 | Jordan Spieth | 🏌️ | $4.6M | $25M | $29.6M | ||
| 66 | Joe Burrow | 🏈 | Cincinnati Bengals |  | $24.5M | $4.5M | $29M |
| 66 | Khalil Mack | 🏈 | Chicago Bears |  | $28.5M | $500K | $29M |
| 66 | Tobias Harris | 🏀 | Philadelphia 76ers | | $27.5M | $1.5M | $29M |
| 69 | D’Angelo Russell | 🏀 | Minnesota Timberwolves |  | $22.9M | $6M | $28.9M |
| 70 | Mike Conley | 🏀 | Utah Jazz |  | $27.7M | $1M | $28.7M |
| 71 | Cameron Heyward | 🏈 | Pittsburgh Steelers |  | $28.4M | $200K | $28.6M |
| 71 | DeForest Buckner | 🏈 | Indianapolis Colts |  | $28.4M | $200K | $28.6M |
| 73 | Kevin De Bruyne | ⚽ | Manchester City |  | $25M | $3.5M | $28.5M |
| 74 | David de Gea | ⚽ | Manchester United | | $25.9M | $2.5M | $28.4M |
| 74 | Mike Trout | ⚾ | Los Angeles Angels |  | $24.9M | $3.5M | $28.4M |
| 76 | Zion Williamson | 🏀 | New Orleans Pelicans |  | $8.2M | $20M | $28.2M |
| 77 | Kristaps Porziņģis | 🏀 | Dallas Mavericks |  | $23.6M | $4.5M | $28.1M |
| 78 | Russell Wilson | 🏈 | Seattle Seahawks | | $18M | $10M | $28M |
| 78 | Sebastian Vettel | 🏎️ | Aston Martin |  | $27M | $1M | $28M |
| 80 | Donovan Smith | 🏈 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | | $27.8M | $50K | $27.8M |
| 81 | Raheem Sterling | ⚽ | Manchester City | | $23.2M | $4.5M | $27.7M |
| 82 | CJ McCollum | 🏀 | Portland Trail Blazers | | $23.5M | $4M | $27.5M |
| 83 | Ángel Di María | ⚽ | Paris Saint-Germain | | $24.7M | $2.5M | $27.2M |
| 84 | Khris Middleton | 🏀 | Milwaukee Bucks | | $26.6M | $500K | $27.1M |
| 85 | Kevin Love | 🏀 | Cleveland Cavaliers |  | $25M | $2M | $27M |
| 86 | Kenny Clark | 🏈 | Green Bay Packers | | $26.7M | $150K | $26.9M |
| 87 | Stephen Strasburg | ⚾ | Washington Nationals |  | $26.3M | $400K | $26.7M |
| 88 | Justin Simmons | 🏈 | Denver Broncos |  | $26.4M | $150K | $26.6M |
| 88 | Karl-Anthony Towns | 🏀 | Minnesota Timberwolves | | $23.6M | $3M | $26.6M |
| 88 | Kei Nishikori | 🎾 | $554K | $26M | $26.6M | ||
| 88 | Tre’Davious White | 🏈 | Buffalo Bills |  | $26.3M | $300K | $26.6M |
| 92 | Matthew Stafford | 🏈 | Los Angeles Rams | | $25M | $1.5M | $26.5M |
| 92 | Rafael Nadal | 🎾 | $3.5M | $23M | $26.5M | ||
| 94 | Taylor Decker | 🏈 | Detroit Lions |  | $26.4M | $75K | $26.4M |
| 95 | Max Verstappen | 🏎️ | Red Bull Racing |  | $24M | $2.3M | $26.3M |
| 96 | DeMar DeRozan | 🏀 | San Antonio Spurs |  | $22.2M | $4M | $26.2M |
| 96 | Philippe Coutinho | ⚽ | Barcelona | | $24.2M | $2M | $26.2M |
| 98 | Clayton Kershaw | ⚾ | Los Angeles Dodgers |  | $24.8M | $1.3M | $26.1M |
| 98 | Laremy Tunsil | 🏈 | Houston Texans | | $26M | $50K | $26.1M |
| 100 | Kyle Lowry | 🏀 | Toronto Raptors |  | $24.5M | $1.5M | $26M |
Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi all broke the $100 million mark, with each of the trio both commanding a salary north of $70 million.
Third-placed Ronaldo supplemented his $70 million salary with a substantial $50 million in endorsements. Messi beat Ronaldo in terms of salary ($91 million), but only brought in $35 million in endorsement income. Still, the Argentine’s combined $126 million was enough to see him bag second spot.
When it comes to endorsements and sponsorship deals, though, one man is head and shoulders above the rest.
UFC mega-star Conor McGregor only fought once inside the Octagon during the qualifying period, but still managed to come away with total earnings of $208 million!
‘Notorious’ made just $28 million of that figure inside the cage, meaning he scooped more than $180 in outside deals. His involvement with Proper Twelve – his own brand of Irish whiskey – is a big contributor to his overall earnings, but McGregor also has a number of other business interests.
