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The Portuguese superstar tops the "Sportico" list with $260 million, dominating the NBA and NFL, and breaking the historic record set by Otani and Soto in baseball.
Cristiano Ronaldo remains at the top of the global financial pyramid of sports, topping the list of the 100 highest-paid athletes in the world for the third year in a row. According to the annual survey by Sportico, the Portuguese superstar recorded a total income of $260 million in the year just ended, of which $200 million comes from his contract with the Al Nassr team and the remaining $60 million from sponsorships and commercial activities.
Ronaldo has surpassed $100 million in annual earnings for nine consecutive years, and for the past three years he has consistently moved above $200 million. He remains extremely attractive to major companies, with more than a dozen giant partnerships, including Nike, Binance and Herbalife. His vast social media reach, with him surpassing 1 billion followers by 2024, further increases his commercial value.
Overall, the world's 100 highest-paid athletes earned $6.05 billion, a slight 2.1% decline from last year's all-time record. For the third year in a row, no women made the list, while athlete Coco Gauff is the top-earning female athlete of 2025 with $33 million, below the $37.9 million threshold to enter the top 100.
American athletes dominate the rankings, taking 62 of the 100 positions, largely thanks to big contracts in the NBA and NFL. However, the top spot remains multinational, with 12 different countries represented in the top 15. LeBron James is the only American in the top five, with a total income of $128.7 million, of which $80 million comes from non-sports-related benefits.
In soccer, 13 players made the list, with the Saudi Professional League having five athletes in the top 20. Neymar, despite having surpassed $1 billion in total in his career, fell to 30th place after returning to Santos. In basketball, the NBA is represented by 40% of the list, while in the NFL, Patrick Mahomes stood out.
For the first time since 2021, two MLB players make the top 10. Juan Soto moved up because of a $75 million signing bonus with the Mets, while Shohei Otani became the first athlete to reach $100 million in endorsements alone in a single season.
Sportico's research clearly shows that, despite the slight overall decline, top athletes continue to generate huge financial figures, with off-field earnings now playing a crucial role in shaping world rankings.
The 10 highest-paid athletes in the world for 2025 (Sportico list) are as follows:
Cristiano Ronaldo (soccer): $260 million.
Canelo Alvarez (boxing): $137 million.
Lionel Messi (soccer): $130 million.
Juan Soto (MLB/baseball): $129.2 million.
LeBron James (NBA/basketball): $128.7 million.
Karim Benzema (soccer): $115 million.
Stephen Curry (NBA/basketball): $105.4 million.
Shohei Otani (MLB/baseball): $102.5 million.
Kevin Durant (NBA/basketball): $100.8 million.
John Rahm (LIV Golf/golf): $100.7 million.
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