According to the reports released by Forbes, Lionel Messi wins the race to become the highest paid athlete over the last 12 months. The player tops the list by pipping the likes of LeBron James and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Over the last 12 months, Lionel Messi has earned $130 million pre taxes. Last year, the Argentine international came second in terms of gross earnings. Conor McGregor had topped the list but this time, Conor mcGregor fails to find himself in the top-10 let alone in the first place.
The Paris St Germain forward had close to $55 million in endorsements whereas he earned $75 million on the field. The move to Paris from Barcelona allowed the player to top the list. The off-the-field earnings includes the likes of sponsorship deals, appearance fees and licensing income.
At the French capital, Lionel Messi is on €779,000 a week wage. He even topped Cristiano Ronaldo who earns £385,000 a week at Manchester United.
When it comes to off-the field earnings, Roger Federer defeats them all by a huge margin. LeBron James earns an eye watering amount of $90 million compared to $80 million by the NBA superstar LeBron James. Canelo Alvarez earns a substantial amount through his sport and earns only $5 million from endorsements.
In the top five athletes, three footballers and two basketball players find their places. Despite the players finding a tremendous raise, they have a seen downfall of 6% compared to 2021.
The world’s ten highest-paid athletes raked in $992 million over the last 12 months, according to Forbes’ estimates. Here's who's scored the largest net worth: https://t.co/REx9Cpvr6d
— Forbes (@Forbes) May 11, 2022
Top ten highest paid athletes across the globe according to Forbes:
| Name of the player | Sport played | Total earnings in million USD |
| Lionel Messi | Football | 130 |
| LeBron James | Basketball | 121.2 |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Football | 115 |
| Neymar | Football | 95 |
| Stephen Curry | Basketball | 92.8 |
| Kevin Durant | Basketball | 92.1 |
| Roger Federer | Tennis | 90.7 |
| Canelo Alvarez | Boxing | 90 |
| Tom Brady | American Football | 83.9 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | Basketball | 80.9 |
