12 highest paid athletes of all time

Being a superstar athlete sure pays. Between their contracts, endorsement deals and signature apparel, they sure have plenty of chances to bank on their popularity.

It takes plenty of hard work, skill, management, and on-field success before athletes become a brand of their own.

But over the decades, we have seen many of them from various sporting backgrounds like tennis, football, golf, basketball, etc. parlay their careers into enormous fortunes.

A list featuring the highest paid athletes of all-time was released recently, and here are those who made the cut:

#12 David Beckham (Football) - $1.05 billion

We start off with the 'fashion icon' of football. He is remembered for his trend-setting hairstyles and funky outfits more than his playing career, which was although pretty successful too.

Plying his trade with top sides like Manchester United, AC Milan, PSG, Real Madrid and LA Galaxy saw him earn big bucks. But like every other top athlete, he drew way more through lucrative sponsorship deals.

#11 Phil Mickelson (Golf) - $1.08 billion

Speaking of deals, Phil Mickelson pitches for Amgen, ExxonMobil, KPMG, Rolex, Grayhawk and the Greenbrier among others. This accounts for most of his $1.08 billion wealth.

When it comes to earnings through golf, he ranks second on the PGA Tour's all-time list behind only Tiger Woods. He has racked up close to $95 million in career prize money.

#10 Roger Federer (Tennis) - $1.12 billion

There's only one billionaire in tennis, and it's not surprising to see that it's Roger Federer. The Switzerland international is an all-time legend with the joint-most Grand Slam titles (20) and second most career titles in the Open Era.

He's made $130 million through prize money, second only to Novak Djokovic, while the rest have come from off-the-court endorsements. According to Forbes, he currently earns a whopping $90 million a year.

#9 Michael Schumacher (Formula One) - $1.13 billion

The German racer's health is still precarious after a 2013 skiing incident dealt him with a severe brain injury that even left Schumacher in a coma. But back in his prime, the F1 titan was a force to be reckoned with.

His on-track accomplishments not only saw him lift numerous titles, but also take home hefty cheques. In fact, he's one of only six athletes to feature on Forbes' highest-paid list since 1990.

#8 Lionel Messi (Football) - $1.14 billion

Lionel Messi's impact in the footballing world is immense. Once he retires, football will arguably be divided into two parts - the pre-Messi era and the post-Messi era.

He was Barcelona's highest paid star for the longest time and now at PSG, is raking in €30 million per year, according to L'Equipe. With an additional $30 million per year through endorsements, the Argentine legend is consistently ranked among the highest earning athletes.

#7 LeBron James (Basketball) - $1.17 billion

Since being drafted in 2003, King James has earned $330 million in playing salary. He has raked in over another $700 million through endorsements with Nike, Coca-Cola, Intel, Verizon and Kia Motors among others.

He signed for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018 on a four-year, $153 million contract. He has been NBA's top-earning player for seven straight years.

#6 Floyd Mayweather (Boxing) - $1.2 billion

The wealthiest boxer of all-time, Floyd Mayweather's illustrious career spanned nearly two decades between 1996 and 2015 and boasted a stellar record of 50-0!

He also pocketed more than $500 million combined for his fights versus Manny Pacquiao and Conor McGregor in 2015 and 2017 respectively.

#5 Cristiano Ronaldo (Football) - $1.24 billion

The third and last footballer on the list is another all-time great in Cristiano Ronaldo, who's made a fortune throughout his glorious playing career.

While the Portuguese ace draws millions more through mega sponsorship deals, he's a brand of his own. He has launched his own range of watches, perfumes, underwear and hotel chains.

#4 Jack Nicklaus (Golf) - $1.38 billion

Jack Nicklaus has multiple business empires

One of golf's most historic icons, Jack Nicklaus reportedly made only $5.7 million in his career on the PGA tour. But he's run several successful businesses that have made him a fortune.

He founded Nicklaus Design more than 50 years ago and has designed golf courses in more than 40 countries. His business empire also includes real estate, wine, golf academies, ice cream and much more.

#3 Arnold Palmer - $1.5 billion

Edging narrowly in front of Nicklaus is his old rival Arnold Palmer. Much like Nicklaus himself, he drew most of his wealth through various businesses he ran until his death in 2016.

Arnold Palmer-branded apparel has over 400 stores in Asia. Meanwhile, his endorsements, licensing and golf design have all generated over 240 times the money he made in prize money.

#2 Tiger Woods (Golf) - $2.1 billion

The 15-time major winner played only 18 PGA tour events in 2010s because of injuries. But his endorsement deals were among the highest in the sporting world.

TaylorMade, Bridgestone and Monster Energy were among the most recent additions to his portfolio. Meanwhile Payne's Valley, the first gold course designed by Woods, opened in 2020 in Missouri.

#1 Michael Jordan - $2.6 billion

Michael Jordan is the richest athlete in the world

Widely considered the greatest athlete of all-time, Michael Jordan is also the wealthiest athlete of all-time. He has a whopping $2.6 billion in net earnings!

Interestingly, only 6% of the total is from his playing contracts with the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards. The rest came from dozens of brands he has endorsed since turning pro in 1984.

About the author

He's been a die-hard football fan for the past 12 years and found love in Real Madrid while Cristiano Ronaldo is his all-time favorite player. Won't shut about Real Madrid's three-peat in the Champions League.

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Edited by Aditya Singh