Skyrocketing league media rights agreements and growing off-field opportunities have already sent athletes\u2019 pay soaring in recent years, but Middle Eastern money is pouring oil on the fire. In all, the world\u2019s ten highest-paid athletes collected an estimated $1.11 billion before taxes and agents\u2019 fees over the last 12 months, up 12% from last year\u2019s $990 million and 5% from the record of $1.06 billion set in 2018.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Ten Years Of The Top Ten<\/strong><\/h3>\n
The world\u2019s ten highest-paid athletes collectively made $1.11 billion before taxes and agents\u2019 fees over the last 12 months, the highest total ever.<\/h4>\n
<\/iframe><\/div>\n<hr class=\"embed-base rule-embed color-accent border-solid weight-light\" \/>\n<p>The 2018 total was tilted by an extraordinary outlier in boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr., who hit $285 million that year\u2014the second-highest payday for an athlete in the 33-year history of the\u00a0<em>Forbes<\/em>\u00a0list. The 2023 top ten, however, is imposing from top to bottom. Ronaldo leads the way with an estimated haul of $136 million, including $46 million from his playing salary and bonuses and $90 million from endorsements, appearances, licensing income and other business endeavors. Mbapp\u00e9, who at age 24 comes in at No. 3 with $120 million, and Johnson, who lands at No. 6 with $107 million, make eye-popping debuts in the top ten.<\/p>\n<div class=\"halfway_hardwall_3\"><\/div>\n<p>Those three are part of a group of eight athletes who each earned more than $100 million over the last 12 months, twice as much as in any previous year. Ronaldo, Messi ($130 million), and LeBron James ($119.5 million) have all reached that threshold before, but the other five\u2014Mbapp\u00e9 and Johnson, plus boxing champion Canelo \u00c1lvarez ($110 million), Mickelson ($106 million) and NBA sharpshooter Stephen Curry ($100.4 million)\u2014earned nine figures for the first time. Only seven other sports stars have ever joined this exclusive club.<\/p>\n<div class=\"halfway_hardwall_4\"><\/div>\n<p>Tennis ace Roger Federer\u2014No. 9 on this year\u2019s earnings list\u2014is one of them, and he didn\u2019t miss the milestone by much in 2023, either, with an estimated $95.1 million, almost all of it coming off the court. His total would have made him the world\u2019s highest-paid athlete as recently as 2017 when Ronaldo led the list with $93 million. Kevin Durant rounds out 2023 top ten with $89.1 million, pushing the cutoff up 10% from 2022\u2019s record $80.9 million.<\/p>\n<p>The biggest surprise of 2023 may be the inclusion of the two golfers. Mickelson is 52 and, with the exception of a magical run at the Masters last month, no longer resembles the player who cracked the earnings top ten for 11 straight years, from 2006 to 2016. (He ranked 31st on last year\u2019s list with $45.3 million.) Johnson, meanwhile, missed the earnings top 50 last year and has seen his off-course pay dry up to an estimated $5 million, from an\u00a0<a class=\"color-link\" title=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/justinbirnbaum\/2022\/07\/28\/the-worlds-highest-paid-golfers-2022-liv-golf-reshuffles-top-earners-and-sends-pay-soaring\/\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/justinbirnbaum\/2022\/07\/28\/the-worlds-highest-paid-golfers-2022-liv-golf-reshuffles-top-earners-and-sends-pay-soaring\/\" target=\"_self\" data-ga-track=\"InternalLink:https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/justinbirnbaum\/2022\/07\/28\/the-worlds-highest-paid-golfers-2022-liv-golf-reshuffles-top-earners-and-sends-pay-soaring\/\" aria-label=\"estimated $29 million\" rel=\"noopener\">estimated $29 million<\/a>\u00a0in 2022, as sponsors treat LIV Golf warily.<\/p>\n<div class=\"embed-base article-gallery-embedded embed-89 color-body light-text\" data-url=\"http:\/\/www.forbes.com\/pictures\/644d4f766e3e604d6e824e87\/the-worlds-10-highest-pai\/\">\n<div class=\"embedded-content clearfix\">\n<div class=\"article-image-box color-body light-text\"><a class=\"gallery-no-space clearfix image-embed__placeholder\" href=\"http:\/\/www.forbes.com\/pictures\/644d4f766e3e604d6e824e87\/the-worlds-10-highest-pai\/\" target=\"_self\" data-ga-track=\"InternalLink:http:\/\/www.forbes.com\/pictures\/644d4f766e3e604d6e824e87\/the-worlds-10-highest-pai\/\" aria-label=\"\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imageio.forbes.com\/specials-images\/imageserve\/644d5130ebaf118ce30d1579\/960x960.jpg?format=jpg&width=960\" alt=\"uncaptioned\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-text-box\">\n<div data-ga-track=\"InternalLink:http:\/\/www.forbes.com\/pictures\/644d4f766e3e604d6e824e87\/the-worlds-10-highest-pai\/\">\n<h4 class=\"color-body font-base\" data-ga-track=\"InternalLink:http:\/\/www.forbes.com\/pictures\/644d4f766e3e604d6e824e87\/the-worlds-10-highest-pai\/\">Gallery: The World\u2019s 10 Highest-Paid Athletes 2023<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-no-space article-slide-count color-body font-accent light-text\">11 images<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-launch-gallery color-body\" data-ga-track=\"InternalLink:http:\/\/www.forbes.com\/pictures\/644d4f766e3e604d6e824e87\/the-worlds-10-highest-pai\/\"><span class=\"article-launch-text color-body\" data-ga-track=\"InternalLink:http:\/\/www.forbes.com\/pictures\/644d4f766e3e604d6e824e87\/the-worlds-10-highest-pai\/\">View gallery<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The upstart LIV tour has been able to offer bonuses that more than make up the difference, however.\u00a0<em>Forbes<\/em>\u00a0estimates that Mickelson received a guarantee of $200 million to sign with the tour, and Johnson $125 million, half of which they are believed to have received upfront.<\/p>\n<p>With LIV\u2019s\u00a0<a class=\"color-link\" title=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/justinbirnbaum\/2022\/08\/12\/majors-monopolies-megabucks-and-donald-trump-inside-the-business-of-the-new-saudi-golf-league\/\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/justinbirnbaum\/2022\/08\/12\/majors-monopolies-megabucks-and-donald-trump-inside-the-business-of-the-new-saudi-golf-league\/\" target=\"_self\" data-ga-track=\"InternalLink:https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/justinbirnbaum\/2022\/08\/12\/majors-monopolies-megabucks-and-donald-trump-inside-the-business-of-the-new-saudi-golf-league\/\" aria-label=\"seemingly infinite budget\" rel=\"noopener\">seemingly infinite budget<\/a>\u00a0thanks to support from Saudi Arabia\u2019s Public Investment Fund\u2014and its $620 billion in assets under management\u2014the paychecks should keep coming.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"embed-base rule-embed color-accent border-solid weight-light\" \/>\n<blockquote class=\"embed-base quote-embed embed-19 bg-accent color-base font-accent font-size text-align bleed\"><p>THE TOP TEN<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<hr class=\"embed-base rule-embed color-accent border-solid weight-light\" \/>\n<h3 class=\"subhead3-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\">#1 \u2022\u00a0<strong>$136 million<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h2 class=\"subhead-embed color-accent bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\"><strong>Cristiano Ronaldo<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h4 class=\"subhead4-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\">On-Field:\u00a0<strong>$46 million<\/strong>\u00a0| Off-Field:\u00a0<strong>$90 million<\/strong>\u00a0| Nationality:\u00a0<strong>Portugal\u00a0<\/strong>| Sport:\u00a0<strong>Soccer\u00a0<\/strong>| Age:\u00a0<strong>38<\/strong><\/h4>\n<figure class=\"embed-base image-embed embed-20 offset\" role=\"presentation\">\n<div class=\"image-embed__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imageio.forbes.com\/specials-images\/imageserve\/645037e88ff5d4c5d17f5d5c\/3x2-cristiano-ronaldo-by-Joao-Rico-DeFodi-Images-Getty-Images\/0x0.jpg?format=jpg&width=960\" alt=\"3x2-cristiano-ronaldo-by-Joao-Rico-DeFodi-Images-Getty-Images\" \/><\/div><figcaption>\n<p class=\"color-body light-text\">\n<p><small class=\"color-body light-text\">JOAO RICO\/DEFODI IMAGES\/GETTY IMAGES<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Ronaldo parted ways with Manchester United<\/strong>\u00a0in November and joined Saudi Arabia\u2019s Al Nassr in January, ratcheting up his annual playing salary to an estimated $75 million and generating additional marketing opportunities in his new home. (<em>Forbes\u2019<\/em> on-field estimate blends together his two contracts for this season and accounts for his brief unemployment.) Rumors are swirling that he might try to head back to Europe this summer, but in the meantime, the pay bump has him atop the athlete earnings list for the first time since 2017, and the third time overall, while setting an all-time high for a soccer player with his $136 million total. Brands can\u2019t resist Ronaldo and his massive fan base\u2014850 million followers across Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, more than any other athlete in the world. Binance, a cryptocurrency exchange, is among the latest additions to his sponsor stable, helping push his off-field total to an estimated $90 million over the last 12 months. Only three athletes in the history of\u00a0<em>Forbes\u2019<\/em> tracking have beaten that figure in a year: Roger Federer, Tiger Woods, and Conor McGregor (who made an estimated $158 million outside the UFC\u2019s octagon in 2021, mostly from\u00a0<a class=\"color-link\" title=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/daviddawkins\/2021\/06\/04\/ufc-star-conor-mcgregor-reacts-to-becoming-the-worlds-top-paid-athlete-im-a-disrupter\/\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/daviddawkins\/2021\/06\/04\/ufc-star-conor-mcgregor-reacts-to-becoming-the-worlds-top-paid-athlete-im-a-disrupter\/\" target=\"_self\" data-ga-track=\"InternalLink:https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/daviddawkins\/2021\/06\/04\/ufc-star-conor-mcgregor-reacts-to-becoming-the-worlds-top-paid-athlete-im-a-disrupter\/\" aria-label=\"the sale of his whiskey brand\" rel=\"noopener\">the sale of his whiskey brand<\/a>, Proper No. Twelve).<\/p>\n<hr class=\"embed-base rule-embed color-accent border-solid weight-light\" \/>\n<h3 class=\"subhead3-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\">#2 \u2022\u00a0<strong>$130 million<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h2 class=\"subhead-embed color-accent bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\"><strong>Lionel Messi<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h4 class=\"subhead4-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\">On-Field:\u00a0<strong>$65 million<\/strong>\u00a0| Off-Field:\u00a0<strong>$65 million<\/strong>\u00a0| Nationality:\u00a0<strong>Argentina\u00a0<\/strong>| Sport:\u00a0<strong>Soccer\u00a0<\/strong>| Age:\u00a0<strong>35<\/strong><\/h4>\n<figure class=\"embed-base image-embed embed-23\" role=\"presentation\">\n<div class=\"image-embedplaceholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imageio.forbes.com\/specials-images\/imageserve\/645039c61169372eed7f5d5c\/3x2-lionel-mesi-by-Catherine-Steenkeste-Getty-Images\/0x0.jpg?format=jpg&width=960\" alt=\"3x2-lionel-mesi-by-Catherine-Steenkeste-Getty-Images\" \/><\/div><figcaption>\n<p class=\"color-body light-text\">\n<p><small class=\"color-body light-text\">CATHERINE STEENKESTE\/GETTY IMAGES<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Messi\u2019s future is a matter of much speculation,<\/strong> with rumors flying that he could return to Barcelona, join Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia, or even land in MLS with Inter Miami. His bank account should be safe regardless. His earnings total matches his big number from the last two editions of the list, and he has a long list of lucrative endorsements, including Adidas, Budweiser, and PepsiCo. His deal with Socios, a blockchain-based fan platform, alone pays him an estimated $20 million a year, and the opportunities should keep coming after he led Argentina to a World Cup victory in December. He also launched an investment firm called Play Time in October.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"embed-base rule-embed color-accent border-solid weight-light\" \/>\n<hr class=\"embed-base rule-embed color-accent border-solid weight-light\" \/>\n<h3 class=\"subhead3-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\">#3 \u2022\u00a0<strong>$120 million<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h2 class=\"subhead-embed color-accent bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\"><strong>Kylian Mbapp\u00e9<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h4 class=\"subhead4-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\">On-Field:\u00a0<strong>$100 million<\/strong>\u00a0| Off-Field:\u00a0<strong>$20 million<\/strong>\u00a0| Nationality:\u00a0<strong>France\u00a0<\/strong>| Sport:\u00a0<strong>Soccer<\/strong>\u00a0| Age:\u00a0<strong>24<\/strong><\/h4>\n<figure class=\"embed-base image-embed embed-27 offset\" role=\"presentation\">\n<div class=\"image-embedplaceholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imageio.forbes.com\/specials-images\/imageserve\/64503a83ec7cd2d8847f5d5c\/3x2-kylian-mbappe-by-Manu-Fernandez-AP\/0x0.jpg?format=jpg&width=960\" alt=\"3x2-kylian-mbappe-by-Manu-Fernandez-AP\" \/><\/div><figcaption>\n<p class=\"color-body light-text\">\n<p><small class=\"color-body light-text\">MANU FERNANDEZ\/AP<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>No. 35 on the earnings list last year,<\/strong> Mbapp\u00e9 makes his top ten debuts and is the only member still under 30. He has the highest-payingTT salary in all of soccer, which looks justified after he fell one win shy of a second straight World Cup title with France in 2022 and finished just behind his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Lionel Messi for the Best FIFA Men\u2019s Player Award. In June, he became the first player ambassador for Sorare, a cryptocurrency-based fantasy game, and he exerted his growing influence later that summer in a dispute with the French Football Federation. After Mbapp\u00e9 refused to participate in a photo shoot with the French national team\u2014<a class=\"color-link\" title=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/soccer\/france-fra\/story\/4750363\/kylian-mbappe-snubs-france-team-photosponsor-activities-over-image-rights-dispute\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/soccer\/france-fra\/story\/4750363\/kylian-mbappe-snubs-france-team-photosponsor-activities-over-image-rights-dispute\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-ga-track=\"ExternalLink:https:\/\/www.espn.com\/soccer\/france-fra\/story\/4750363\/kylian-mbappe-snubs-france-team-photosponsor-activities-over-image-rights-dispute\" aria-label=\"reportedly\">reportedly<\/a>\u00a0objecting to endorsing some of the brands under contract with the squad\u2014the federation quickly announced it would work to revise its agreement on players\u2019 image rights.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"embed-base rule-embed color-accent border-solid weight-light\" \/>\n<h3 class=\"subhead3-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\">#4 \u2022\u00a0<strong>$119.5 million<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h2 class=\"subhead-embed color-accent bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\"><strong>LeBron James<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h4 class=\"subhead4-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\">On-Field:\u00a0<strong>$44.5 million<\/strong>\u00a0| Off-Field:\u00a0<strong>$75 million<\/strong>\u00a0| Nationality:\u00a0<strong>U.S.\u00a0<\/strong>| Sport:\u00a0<strong>Basketball\u00a0<\/strong>| Age:\u00a0<strong>38<\/strong><\/h4>\n<figure class=\"embed-base image-embed embed-29\" role=\"presentation\">\n<div class=\"image-embed__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/specials-images.forbesimg.com\/imageserve\/64503bd0a921ab6bc17f5d5c\/3x2-lebron-james-by-Michael-Conroy-AP\/0x0.gif?fit=scale\" alt=\"3x2-lebron-james-by-Michael-Conroy-AP\" \/><\/div><figcaption>\n<p class=\"color-body light-text\">\n<p><small class=\"color-body light-text\">MICHAEL CONROY\/AP<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Today\u2019s top athletes are also<\/strong>\u00a0successful founders and investors, and perhaps no one embodies that entrepreneurial spirit better than James, who became the first active athlete to be\u00a0<a class=\"color-link\" title=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/chasewithorn\/2022\/06\/02\/lebron-james-is-officially-a-billionaire\/\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/chasewithorn\/2022\/06\/02\/lebron-james-is-officially-a-billionaire\/\" target=\"_self\" data-ga-track=\"InternalLink:https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/chasewithorn\/2022\/06\/02\/lebron-james-is-officially-a-billionaire\/\" aria-label=\"certified a billionaire\" rel=\"noopener\">certified a billionaire<\/a>\u00a0by\u00a0<em>Forbes<\/em>\u00a0in June. On top of his impressive endorsement portfolio, the Los Angeles Lakers forward is behind sports nutrition company Ladder and the SpringHill Company, which develops and produces TV and other entertainment content, and he was a producer on its 2023 film\u00a0<em>House Party<\/em>, which was set at his mansion. He also has a stake in Fenway Sports Group\u2014owner of the Boston Red Sox, Liverpool FC, and the Pittsburgh Penguins\u2014and he recently invested in a Major League Pickleball team while proclaiming his desire to someday own an NBA expansion team in Las Vegas. James was an early backer of Lobos 1707 tequila and over the last year has invested in Canyon Bicycles, climate-conscious dairy company Neutral Foods, and sports apparel brand Mitchell & Ness.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"embed-base rule-embed color-accent border-solid weight-light\" \/>\n<h3 class=\"subhead3-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\">#5 \u2022\u00a0<strong>$110 million<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h2 class=\"subhead-embed color-accent bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\"><strong>Canelo \u00c1lvarez<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h4 class=\"subhead4-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\">On-Field:\u00a0<strong>$100 million<\/strong>\u00a0| Off-Field:\u00a0<strong>$10 million<\/strong>\u00a0| Nationality:\u00a0<strong>Mexico\u00a0<\/strong>|<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>Sport:\u00a0<strong>Boxing\u00a0<\/strong>| Age:\u00a0<strong>32<\/strong><\/h4>\n<figure class=\"embed-base image-embed embed-31 offset\" role=\"presentation\">\n<div class=\"image-embed__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/specials-images.forbesimg.com\/imageserve\/64503cfad81d91af2588aa3f\/3x2-canelo-alvarez-by-Steve-Marcus-AP\/0x0.gif?fit=scale\" alt=\"3x2-canelo-alvarez-by-Steve-Marcus-AP\" \/><\/div><figcaption>\n<p class=\"color-body light-text\">\n<p><small class=\"color-body light-text\">STEVE MARCUS\/AP<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>\u00c1lvarez collects tens of millions<\/strong>\u00a0of dollars every time he steps in the ring, scoring big with blockbuster fights against Dmitry Bivol and Gennadiy Golovkin over the last 12 months. (The\u00a0<em>Forbes<\/em>\u00a0list runs through May 1, meaning the upcoming payday from his May 6 bout with John Ryder is not included here.) \u00c1lvarez has a relatively slim list of traditional endorsements for an athlete of his stature, partnering with Hennessy and Michelob Ultra, but he\u00a0<a class=\"color-link\" title=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/brettknight\/2022\/09\/14\/canelo-alvarez-excel-sports-management-agent\/\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/brettknight\/2022\/09\/14\/canelo-alvarez-excel-sports-management-agent\/\" target=\"_self\" data-ga-track=\"InternalLink:https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/brettknight\/2022\/09\/14\/canelo-alvarez-excel-sports-management-agent\/\" aria-label=\"signed with Excel Sports Management\" rel=\"noopener\">signed with Excel Sports Management<\/a> in September to build out his marketing deals, and he is active as an entrepreneur. The boxer is behind sports drink maker Yaoca, fitness app I Can, and gas station chain Canelo Energy, and he has his own clothing line and branded credit card. In September, he launched VMC, a canned cocktail brand.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"embed-base rule-embed color-accent border-solid weight-light\" \/>\n<hr class=\"embed-base rule-embed color-accent border-solid weight-light\" \/>\n<h3 class=\"subhead3-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\">#6 \u2022\u00a0<strong>$107 million<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h2 class=\"subhead-embed color-accent bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\"><strong>Dustin Johnson<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h4 class=\"subhead4-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\">On-Field:\u00a0<strong>$102 million<\/strong>\u00a0| Off-Field:\u00a0<strong>$5 million<\/strong>\u00a0| Nationality:\u00a0<strong>U.S.\u00a0<\/strong>| Sport:\u00a0<strong>Golf<\/strong>\u00a0| Age:\u00a0<strong>38<\/strong><\/h4>\n<figure class=\"embed-base image-embed embed-36\" role=\"presentation\">\n<div class=\"image-embedplaceholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/specials-images.forbesimg.com\/imageserve\/64503de6b8e1666b637f5d5e\/5x4-dustin-johnson-by-Andy-Lyons-Getty-Images\/0x0.gif?fit=scale\" alt=\"5x4-dustin-johnson-by-Andy-Lyons-Getty-Images\" \/><\/div><figcaption>\n<p class=\"color-body light-text\">\n<p><small class=\"color-body light-text\">ANDY LYONS\/GETTY IMAGES<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Johnson was the first star<\/strong> to jump to LIV Golf, last May, and he finished 2022 with a tour-best $35.6 million in prize money, including $18 million for winning the season-long individual championship. The move may have cost him, sponsors, including the Royal Bank of Canada, but it also made him the biggest gainer of the year: He didn\u2019t even make the list of 2022\u2019s 50 highest-paid athletes. Now he is focusing on building the brand of 4Aces GC, the LIV team he captains and co-owns, whose logo has adorned his shirt at recent tournaments in place of Adidas\u2019. The guaranteed cash from LIV\u2019s no-cut format helps, too\u2014he has racked up $3.3 million across five LIV events in 2023.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"embed-base rule-embed color-accent border-solid weight-light\" \/>\n<h3 class=\"subhead3-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\">#7 \u2022\u00a0<strong>$106 million<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h2 class=\"subhead-embed color-accent bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\"><strong>Phil Mickelson<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h4 class=\"subhead4-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\">On-Field:\u00a0<strong>$104 million<\/strong>\u00a0| Off-Field:\u00a0<strong>$2 million\u00a0<\/strong>| Nationality:\u00a0<strong>U.S.\u00a0<\/strong>| Sport:\u00a0<strong>Golf<\/strong>\u00a0| Age:\u00a0<strong>52<\/strong><\/h4>\n<figure class=\"embed-base image-embed embed-44 offset\" role=\"presentation\">\n<div class=\"image-embedplaceholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/specials-images.forbesimg.com\/imageserve\/64504118072f0a3c4b7f5d5c\/3x2-phil-mickelson-by-Andy-Lyons-Getty-Images\/0x0.gif?fit=scale\" alt=\"3x2-phil-mickelson-by-Andy-Lyons_Getty-Images\" \/><\/div><figcaption>\n<p class=\"color-body light-text\">\n<p><small class=\"color-body light-text\">ANDY LYONS\/GETTY IMAGES<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Mickelson, who<\/strong>\u00a0<a class=\"color-link\" title=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/mattcraig\/2022\/06\/12\/billion-dollar-ballers-these-athletes-tiger-woods-lebron-james-federer-messi-ronaldo-mayweather-have-earned-more-than-1-billion-apiece\/\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/mattcraig\/2022\/06\/12\/billion-dollar-ballers-these-athletes-tiger-woods-lebron-james-federer-messi-ronaldo-mayweather-have-earned-more-than-1-billion-apiece\/\" target=\"_self\" data-ga-track=\"InternalLink:https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/mattcraig\/2022\/06\/12\/billion-dollar-ballers-these-athletes-tiger-woods-lebron-james-federer-messi-ronaldo-mayweather-have-earned-more-than-1-billion-apiece\/\" aria-label=\"surpassed $1 billion in career pre-tax earnings\" rel=\"noopener\">surpassed $1 billion in career pre-tax earnings<\/a>\u00a0last year, has shed sponsors since joining LIV Golf, but he is staying busy off the course. He is a cofounder of For Wellness, which makes coffee supplements, and he was\u00a0<a class=\"color-link\" title=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/sunbelt-land-boom-brings-big-profits-and-big-risks-11660013835\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/sunbelt-land-boom-brings-big-profits-and-big-risks-11660013835\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-ga-track=\"ExternalLink:https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/sunbelt-land-boom-brings-big-profits-and-big-risks-11660013835\" aria-label=\"among the investors\">among the investors<\/a>\u00a0who recently bought a large plot of land outside Phoenix. Mickelson gave his new tour a performance to be proud of at the Masters last month, posting a final-round 65 to finish in a tie for second with his LIV Golf mate Brooks Koepka. The result came with a $1.6 million check.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"embed-base rule-embed color-accent border-solid weight-light\" \/>\n<h3 class=\"subhead3-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\">#8 \u2022\u00a0<strong>$100.4 million<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h2 class=\"subhead-embed color-accent bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\"><strong>Stephen Curry<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h4 class=\"subhead4-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\">On-Field:\u00a0<strong>$48.4 million\u00a0<\/strong>| Off-Field:\u00a0<strong>$52 million<\/strong>\u00a0| Nationality:\u00a0<strong>U.S.\u00a0<\/strong>| Sport:\u00a0<strong>Basketball\u00a0<\/strong>| Age:\u00a0<strong>35<\/strong><\/h4>\n<figure class=\"embed-base image-embed embed-45\" role=\"presentation\">\n<div class=\"image-embedplaceholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/specials-images.forbesimg.com\/imageserve\/6450421120a297fb7aba8ca9\/4x5-stephen-curry-by-ezra-shaw-getty-images\/0x0.gif?fit=scale\" alt=\"4x5-stephen-curry-by-ezra-shaw-getty-images\" \/><\/div><figcaption>\n<p class=\"color-body light-text\">\n<p><small class=\"color-body light-text\">EZRA SHAW\/GETTY IMAGES<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Fresh off his fourth NBA championship<\/strong> last June, Curry has his first year topping $100 million. His $48.1 million salary was the NBA\u2019s highest this season, and he\u2019ll become the league\u2019s first $50 million man in 2023-24, when he is set to make $51.9 million. The Golden State Warriors guard lost a major sponsor when FTX collapsed, and he has since been swept into a lawsuit accusing its celebrity endorsers of misleading customers in ads promoting the cryptocurrency exchange. But he has filled that void and then some. In March, he signed a long-term extension with Under Armour that will extend into his retirement from basketball, and he has a new partnership with Chase Bank. His multimedia company Unanimous Media is among the producers of a documentary about him that is slated to hit Apple TV+ in July, and he is set to launch a graphic novel series next year. He also recently invested in the VR platform Golf+ and TMRW Sports, the startup founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy that is aiming to create a tech-infused golf league.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"embed-base rule-embed color-accent border-solid weight-light\" \/>\n<hr class=\"embed-base rule-embed color-accent border-solid weight-light\" \/>\n<h3 class=\"subhead3-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\">#9 \u2022\u00a0<strong>$95.1 million<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h2 class=\"subhead-embed color-accent bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\"><strong>Roger Federer<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h4 class=\"subhead4-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\">On-Field:\u00a0<strong>$0.1 million<\/strong>\u00a0| Off-Field:\u00a0<strong>$95 million<\/strong>\u00a0| Nationality:\u00a0<strong>Switzerland\u00a0<\/strong>| Sport:\u00a0<strong>Tennis\u00a0<\/strong>| Age:\u00a0<strong>41<\/strong><\/h4>\n<figure class=\"embed-base image-embed embed-46 offset\" role=\"presentation\">\n<div class=\"image-embedplaceholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/specials-images.forbesimg.com\/imageserve\/645042df23622508f97f5d5c\/3x2-roger-federer-by-Clive-Brunskill-Getty-Images-for-Laver-Cup\/0x0.gif?fit=scale\" alt=\"3x2-roger-federer-by-Clive-Brunskill-Getty-Images-for-Laver-Cup\" \/><\/div><figcaption>\n<p class=\"color-body light-text\">\n<p><small class=\"color-body light-text\">CLIVE BRUNSKILL\/GETTY IMAGES FOR LAVER CUP<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Federer announced his retirement<\/strong>\u00a0from competitive tennis in September and hung up his racket after playing one final match alongside Rafael Nadal at the Laver Cup, the international team tournament he helped create in 2017. His list of more than a dozen long-term partners remains intact as he begins his second act, and last week he announced a licensing agreement for his RF brand with eyewear maker Oliver Peoples. He also has a significant stake in the fast-growing Swiss shoe company On.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"embed-base rule-embed color-accent border-solid weight-light\" \/>\n<h3 class=\"subhead3-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\">#10 \u2022\u00a0<strong>$89.1 million<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h2 class=\"subhead-embed color-accent bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\"><strong>Kevin Durant<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h4 class=\"subhead4-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\">On-Field:\u00a0<strong>$44.1 million\u00a0<\/strong>| Off-Field:\u00a0<strong>$45 million<\/strong>\u00a0| Nationality:\u00a0<strong>U.S.\u00a0<\/strong>| Sport:\u00a0<strong>Basketball\u00a0<\/strong>| Age:\u00a0<strong>34<\/strong><\/h4>\n<figure class=\"embed-base image-embed embed-61 offset\" role=\"presentation\">\n<div class=\"image-embed__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/specials-images.forbesimg.com\/imageserve\/64504494e1712a2b3a7f5d5c\/4x3-kevin-durant-230422-by-Harry-How-Getty-Images\/0x0.gif?fit=scale\" alt=\"4x3-kevin-durant-230422_by-Harry-How-Getty-Images\" \/><\/div><figcaption>\n<p class=\"color-body light-text\">\n<p><small class=\"color-body light-text\">HARRY HOW\/GETTY IMAGES<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Durant was traded from<\/strong> the Brooklyn Nets to the Phoenix Suns in February, but the wheeling and dealing haven\u2019t been confined to the court. Through his investment firm, 35V, he has picked up stakes in the Premier Lacrosse League, nutrition brand Happy Viking, League One Volleyball, women\u2019s sports league network Athletes Unlimited, a Major League Pickleball team, Fanatics\u2019 Mitchell & Ness label, digital creator business Goldenset Collective, sports software startup ScorePlay and Tiger Woods\u2019 TMRW Sports just in the last ten months. He also has a growing media empire in <a class=\"color-link\" title=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/stevenbertoni\/2019\/12\/10\/three-point-play-inside-kevin-durants-multi-million-dollar-basketball-media-and-investing-empire\/\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/stevenbertoni\/2019\/12\/10\/three-point-play-inside-kevin-durants-multi-million-dollar-basketball-media-and-investing-empire\/\" target=\"_self\" data-ga-track=\"InternalLink:https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/stevenbertoni\/2019\/12\/10\/three-point-play-inside-kevin-durants-multi-million-dollar-basketball-media-and-investing-empire\/\" aria-label=\"Boardroom\" rel=\"noopener\">Boardroom<\/a>\u00a0and one of the NBA\u2019s most valuable sneaker deals with Nike, which was recently upgraded to\u00a0<a class=\"color-link\" title=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/adamzagoria\/2023\/04\/28\/kevin-durant-becomes-3rd-nba-player-to-sign-lifetime-deal-with-nike\/\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/adamzagoria\/2023\/04\/28\/kevin-durant-becomes-3rd-nba-player-to-sign-lifetime-deal-with-nike\/\" target=\"_self\" data-ga-track=\"InternalLink:https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/adamzagoria\/2023\/04\/28\/kevin-durant-becomes-3rd-nba-player-to-sign-lifetime-deal-with-nike\/\" aria-label=\"a lifetime contract\" rel=\"noopener\">a lifetime contract<\/a>. Michael Jordan and LeBron James are the only other two NBA players who have received lifetime deals from the shoemaker.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"embed-base rule-embed color-accent border-solid weight-light\" \/>\n<hr class=\"embed-base rule-embed color-accent border-solid weight-light\" \/>\n<h3 class=\"subhead3-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\"><strong>Methodology<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><em>Forbes\u2019<\/em> on-field earnings figures include all prize money, salaries, and bonuses earned between May 1, 2022, and May 1, 2023. In cases where players continue to be paid beyond May 1 for a regular season that is concluded by then\u2014as in the NBA and European soccer\u2014we assign the full season of salary. Playoff bonuses are included for the 2022 NFL season and the 2021-22 NBA season.<\/p>\n<p>Off-field earnings figures are an estimate of sponsorship deals, appearance fees and memorabilia, and licensing income for the 12 months leading to May 1, 2023, plus cash returns from any businesses operated by the athlete, based on conversations with industry insiders. <em>Forbes<\/em>\u00a0does not include investment income such as interest payments or dividends but does account for payouts from equity stakes athletes have sold.<\/p>\n<p><em>Forbes<\/em> does not deduct taxes or agents\u2019 fees. The list includes athletes active at any point during the 12-month time period.<\/p>\n<p><em>With additional reporting by\u00a0<\/em><a class=\"color-link\" title=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/justinbirnbaum\/\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/justinbirnbaum\/\" target=\"_self\" data-ga-track=\"InternalLink:https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/justinbirnbaum\/\" aria-label=\"Justin Birnbaum\" rel=\"noopener\"><em data-ga-track=\"InternalLink:https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/justinbirnbaum\/\">Justin Birnbaum<\/em><\/a><em>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/em><a class=\"color-link\" title=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/mattcraig\/\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/mattcraig\/\" target=\"_self\" data-ga-track=\"InternalLink:https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/mattcraig\/\" aria-label=\"Matt Craig\" rel=\"noopener\"><em data-ga-track=\"InternalLink:https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/mattcraig\/\">Matt Craig<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<h4 class=\"subhead4-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\"><\/h4>\n<h3 class=\"subhead3-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align\"><strong>MORE FROM FORBES<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><a class=\"embed-base color-body color-body-border link-embed embed-52 link-embed--long-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/justinbirnbaum\/2023\/03\/27\/baseballs-highest-paid-players-2023-shohei-ohtanis-mlb-record-total-lands-him-at-no-1\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" aria-label=\"Baseball's Highest-Paid Players 2023: Shohei Ohtani's MLB-Record Total Lands Him At No. 1\" data-ga-track=\"forbesEmbedly:https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/justinbirnbaum\/2023\/03\/27\/baseballs-highest-paid-players-2023-shohei-ohtanis-mlb-record-total-lands-him-at-no-1\/\"><span class=\"link-embedinfo\"><span class=\"link-embedprovider\">MORE FROM FORBES<\/span><span class=\"link-embedtitle\">Baseball’s Highest-Paid Players 2023: Shohei Ohtani’s MLB-Record Total Lands Him At No. 1<\/span><small class=\"link-embedbyline\">By\u00a0<span class=\"link-embed__author\">Justin Birnbaum<\/span><\/small><\/span><\/a><a class=\"embed-base color-body color-body-border link-embed embed-60 link-embed--long-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/justinbirnbaum\/2023\/02\/02\/major-league-soccers-most-valuable-clubs-2023-lafc-is-the-first-billion-dollar-franchise\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" aria-label=\"Major League Soccer's Most Valuable Clubs 2023: LAFC Is The First Billion-Dollar Franchise\" data-ga-track=\"forbesEmbedly:https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/justinbirnbaum\/2023\/02\/02\/major-league-soccers-most-valuable-clubs-2023-lafc-is-the-first-billion-dollar-franchise\/\"><span class=\"link-embedinfo\"><span class=\"link-embedprovider\">MORE FROM FORBES<\/span><span class=\"link-embedtitle\">Major League Soccer’s Most Valuable Clubs 2023: LAFC Is The First Billion-Dollar Franchise<\/span><small class=\"link-embedbyline\">By\u00a0<span class=\"link-embedauthor\">Justin Birnbaum<\/span><\/small><\/span><\/a><span class=\"link-embedinfo\"><span class=\"link-embedprovider\">MORE FROM FORBES<\/span><span class=\"link-embedtitle\">Meet The IRS Special Agent Earning His Stripes As An NFL Referee<\/span><small class=\"link-embedbyline\">By\u00a0<span class=\"link-embedauthor\">Kelly Phillips Erb<\/span><\/small><\/span><a class=\"embed-base color-body color-body-border link-embed embed-58 link-embed--long-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/mikeozanian\/2023\/03\/23\/baseballs-most-valuable-teams-2023-price-tags-are-up-12-despite-regional-tv-woes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" aria-label=\"Baseball's Most Valuable Teams 2023: Price Tags Are Up 12% Despite Regional TV Woes\" data-ga-track=\"forbesEmbedly:https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/mikeozanian\/2023\/03\/23\/baseballs-most-valuable-teams-2023-price-tags-are-up-12-despite-regional-tv-woes\/\"><span class=\"link-embedinfo\"><span class=\"link-embedprovider\">MORE FROM FORBES<\/span><span class=\"link-embedtitle\">Baseball’s Most Valuable Teams 2023: Price Tags Are Up 12% Despite Regional TV Woes<\/span><small class=\"link-embedbyline\">By\u00a0<span class=\"link-embedauthor\">Mike Ozanian<\/span><\/small><\/span><\/a><span class=\"link-embedinfo\"><span class=\"link-embedprovider\">MORE FROM FORBES<\/span><span class=\"link-embedtitle\">The World’s Richest Sports Owners 2023<\/span><small class=\"link-embedbyline\">By\u00a0<span class=\"link-embedauthor\">Justin Birnbaum<\/span><\/small><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Credit to, Justin and Matt Craig<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-23375\" src=\"https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WhatsApp-Image-2023-05-03-at-4.42.04-PM-300x189.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"189\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WhatsApp-Image-2023-05-03-at-4.42.04-PM-300x189.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WhatsApp-Image-2023-05-03-at-4.42.04-PM-666x420.jpeg 666w, https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WhatsApp-Image-2023-05-03-at-4.42.04-PM.jpeg 671w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-23376\" src=\"https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WhatsApp-Image-2023-05-03-at-4.42.04-PM-1-300x189.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"189\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WhatsApp-Image-2023-05-03-at-4.42.04-PM-1-300x189.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WhatsApp-Image-2023-05-03-at-4.42.04-PM-1-666x420.jpeg 666w, https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WhatsApp-Image-2023-05-03-at-4.42.04-PM-1.jpeg 671w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After a disappointing year\u00a0and a half with Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo jumped to Saudi Arabia\u2019s<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23377,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,45],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/BeFunky-collage-68-scaled.jpg",2560,1254,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/BeFunky-collage-68-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/BeFunky-collage-68-300x147.jpg",300,147,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/BeFunky-collage-68-768x376.jpg",640,313,true],"large":["https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/BeFunky-collage-68-1024x502.jpg",640,314,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/BeFunky-collage-68-1536x752.jpg",1536,752,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/BeFunky-collage-68-2048x1003.jpg",2048,1003,true],"chromenews-featured":["https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/BeFunky-collage-68-scaled.jpg",1024,502,false],"chromenews-large":["https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/BeFunky-collage-68-scaled.jpg",825,404,false],"chromenews-medium":["https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/BeFunky-collage-68-scaled.jpg",590,289,false]},"author_info":{"display_name":"nkyeremunews","author_link":"https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/index.php\/author\/nkyeremunews\/"},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/index.php\/category\/uncategorised\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Nkyeremu<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/index.php\/category\/sports\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Sports<\/a>","tag_info":"Sports","comment_count":"279","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23374"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23374"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23374\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23377"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23374"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23374"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nkyeremunews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23374"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}