<!–>
Cristiano Ronaldo topped Forbes’ 2025 list of the world’s highest paid athletes, ahead of Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry and heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury.
The list takes into account each athlete’s respective salaries and paydays, as well as sponsorship deals and appearance fees.
Each of the list’s top 10 athletes are estimated to have earned at least $100 million this past year, with Ronaldo coming in with around $275 million. The former Real Madrid and Manchester United star has topped the Forbes list for three straight years.
Curry comes in second on the list with $156 million, ahead of two other NBA stars – LeBron James (at No. 6) with an estimated $133.8 million and Kevin Durant (at No. 10) with $101.4 million.
Fury is the only athlete who doesn’t play a team sport to appear on this year’s list. At No. 3, the boxer reportedly racked up $146 million in earnings. Behind him at No. 4 is Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott ($137 million) – the only NFL player to crack the top-10 list.
Lionel Messi rounds out the top five, with the World Cup winner coming in with $135 million.
Two MLB players – New York Mets slugger Juan Soto (No. 8, $114 million) and Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Otani (No. 9, $101.4 million) – also make the list.
Forbes’ 10 highest-paid athletes for 2025
1. Cristiano Ronaldo, soccer: $275m
2. Stephen Curry, NBA: $156m
3. Tyson Fury, boxing: $146m
4. Dak Prescott, NFL: $137m
5. Lionel Messi, soccer: $135m
6. LeBron James, NBA: $133.8m
7. Juan Soto, MLB: $114m
8. Karim Benzema, soccer: $104m
9. Shohei Ohtani, MLB: $102.5m
10. Kevin Durant, NBA: $101.4m
Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
–>
Get more from Cristiano Ronaldo Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
76ers’ VJ Edgecombe breaks records held by LeBron James, Allen Iverson in incredible NBA debut vs. Celtics
Getty Images Philadelphia 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe got off to a historic start to his NBA career on Wednesday by breaking a 22-year-old record held by LeBron James. Edgecombe, the No. 3 overall pick out of Baylor, scored 14 points in the first quarter against the Boston Celtics to pass the NBA record previously set by James in 2003.In James' NBA debut against the Sacramento Kings, he scored 12 points in the first quarter. Edgecombe got to 14 points by knocking down a 3-pointer with 1:14 remaining in the quarter to make history. Edgecombe, when he scored his 31st and 32nd points with a bucket at the 5:37 mark of the fourth quarter, also broke the 76ers franchise record for most points scored in an NBA debut. That record was previously held by Allen Iverson, who scored 30 in his first game […]
Guardians reportedly block Emmanuel Clase from pitching in Venezuelan league amid MLB gambling investigation
Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase still appears quite some distance from ever playing baseball again.The Guardians have blocked the flame-throwing right-hander from pitching in the Venezuelan winter league according to The Athletic's Evan Drellich, a week after he was banned from playing in a winter league in his home country of the Dominican Republic.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementPer Drellich, Clase planned to play for the Tiburones de La Guaira in Venezuela after his Dominican ban, but MLB's agreement with the array of Latin American winter leagues generally forbids players from joining a team outside of his native country without permission from MLB and his club. Cleveland did not grant it.Clase still hasn't pitched since July 26. He was placed on indefinite, paid leave two days later as part of a gambling investigation by MLB. The exact nature of the allegations have not been reported, […]
76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe breaks an old LeBron James record with historic first quarter in NBA debut
VJ Edgecombe didn’t waste any time with his NBA debut.Edgecombe made history in the Philadelphia 76ers’ season-opener against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night. The former Baylor star dropped 14 points in the first 12 minutes of that matchup at TD Garden, breaking a record that LeBron James set more than two decades ago in his debut.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementEdgecombe has now scored the most points in the first quarter of an NBA debut in league history. James, when he was playing in his first season with the Cleveland Cavaliers back in 2003, had 12 points in the opening period of his debut.It took Edgecombe a few minutes to get going, too, which makes his feat that much more impressive. The 20-year-old made a single free throw in the first few minutes of the game, but didn’t hit his first field goal until […]
76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe breaks LeBron James’ record with historic first quarter in NBA debut
VJ Edgecombe didn’t waste any time in his NBA debut.Edgecombe made history in the Philadelphia 76ers’ 117-116 win over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night. The former Baylor star dropped 14 points in the first 12 minutes of that season-opening matchup at TD Garden, breaking a record that LeBron James set more than two decades ago in his debut.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementEdgecome has now scored the most points in the first quarter of an NBA debut in league history. James, when he was playing in his first season with the Cleveland Cavaliers back in 2003, had 12 points in the opening period of his debut.VJ Edgecombe beat a decades-old record set by LeBron James in his NBA debut on Wednesday night. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) (Adam Glanzman via Getty Images)It took Edgecombe a few minutes to get going, too, which makes his feat that […]
MLB playoffs post best ratings since 2017 ahead of Dodgers-Blue Jays World Series
The 2025 MLB playoffs have not lacked for drama ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers-Toronto Blue Jays World Series. It hasn't lacked for viewers, either.Two days before the Fall Classic is set to begin, MLB announced its playoffs games have averaged 4.48 million viewers across 40 games, making it the league's most-watched postseason since 2017 and a 13% increase over last year's numbers.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement[Yahoo Sports TV is here! Watch live shows and highlights 24/7]Ratings have been particularly strong in Canada and Japan, for obvious reasons. Game 7 of the ALCS, in which the Toronto Blue Jays eliminated the Seattle Mariners and advanced to their first World Series since 1993, averaged six million viewers in Canada, the most-watched Blue Jays game ever on Sportsnet. Overall, the game drew 15.03 million combined between Sportsnet and the Fox family of networks and streaming, the […]
Jets won’t name a QB1, Will we see AI refs? + Can Lamar Jackson save the Ravens’ season?
Subscribe to Inside CoverageYahoo Sports’ Andrew Siciliano and Charles Robinson break down Sean Payton walking back his comments on Russell Wilson and debate whether Russ should still be upset. The guys then dive into the QB dilemma between Woody Johnson and Aaron Glenn before exploring how AI could change NFL officiating. They tackle the future of the tush push, the Pro Bowl’s move to Super Bowl week, and preview Vikings-Chargers on TNF. Finally, they close things out with a question on what’s next for the Ravens if they fall to 1-6 and whether John Harbaugh’s message is growing stale.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement(3:24) Sean Payton walks back Russ comments(16:04) Aaron Glenn keeping QB a secret(23:06) Goodell says NFL exploring AI referee assistance(34:37) Could the “Tush Push” be finally banned?(38:53) Pro Bowl moves to Tuesday of Super Bowl week(46:22) TNF Preview: Vikings-Chargers(54:04) What if the […]
Related
76ers’ VJ Edgecombe breaks records held by LeBron James, Allen Iverson in incredible NBA debut vs. Celtics
Getty Images Philadelphia 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe got off to a historic start to his NBA career on Wednesday by breaking a 22-year-old record held by LeBron James. Edgecombe, the No. 3 overall pick out of Baylor, scored 14 points in the first quarter against the Boston Celtics to pass the NBA record previously set by James in 2003.In James' NBA debut against the Sacramento Kings, he scored 12 points in the first quarter. Edgecombe got to 14 points by knocking down a 3-pointer with 1:14 remaining in the quarter to make history. Edgecombe, when he scored his 31st and 32nd points with a bucket at the 5:37 mark of the fourth quarter, also broke the 76ers franchise record for most points scored in an NBA debut. That record was previously held by Allen Iverson, who scored 30 in his first game […]
Guardians reportedly block Emmanuel Clase from pitching in Venezuelan league amid MLB gambling investigation
Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase still appears quite some distance from ever playing baseball again.The Guardians have blocked the flame-throwing right-hander from pitching in the Venezuelan winter league according to The Athletic's Evan Drellich, a week after he was banned from playing in a winter league in his home country of the Dominican Republic.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementPer Drellich, Clase planned to play for the Tiburones de La Guaira in Venezuela after his Dominican ban, but MLB's agreement with the array of Latin American winter leagues generally forbids players from joining a team outside of his native country without permission from MLB and his club. Cleveland did not grant it.Clase still hasn't pitched since July 26. He was placed on indefinite, paid leave two days later as part of a gambling investigation by MLB. The exact nature of the allegations have not been reported, […]
76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe breaks an old LeBron James record with historic first quarter in NBA debut
VJ Edgecombe didn’t waste any time with his NBA debut.Edgecombe made history in the Philadelphia 76ers’ season-opener against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night. The former Baylor star dropped 14 points in the first 12 minutes of that matchup at TD Garden, breaking a record that LeBron James set more than two decades ago in his debut.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementEdgecombe has now scored the most points in the first quarter of an NBA debut in league history. James, when he was playing in his first season with the Cleveland Cavaliers back in 2003, had 12 points in the opening period of his debut.It took Edgecombe a few minutes to get going, too, which makes his feat that much more impressive. The 20-year-old made a single free throw in the first few minutes of the game, but didn’t hit his first field goal until […]
76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe breaks LeBron James’ record with historic first quarter in NBA debut
VJ Edgecombe didn’t waste any time in his NBA debut.Edgecombe made history in the Philadelphia 76ers’ 117-116 win over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night. The former Baylor star dropped 14 points in the first 12 minutes of that season-opening matchup at TD Garden, breaking a record that LeBron James set more than two decades ago in his debut.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementEdgecome has now scored the most points in the first quarter of an NBA debut in league history. James, when he was playing in his first season with the Cleveland Cavaliers back in 2003, had 12 points in the opening period of his debut.VJ Edgecombe beat a decades-old record set by LeBron James in his NBA debut on Wednesday night. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) (Adam Glanzman via Getty Images)It took Edgecombe a few minutes to get going, too, which makes his feat that […]
MLB playoffs post best ratings since 2017 ahead of Dodgers-Blue Jays World Series
The 2025 MLB playoffs have not lacked for drama ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers-Toronto Blue Jays World Series. It hasn't lacked for viewers, either.Two days before the Fall Classic is set to begin, MLB announced its playoffs games have averaged 4.48 million viewers across 40 games, making it the league's most-watched postseason since 2017 and a 13% increase over last year's numbers.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement[Yahoo Sports TV is here! Watch live shows and highlights 24/7]Ratings have been particularly strong in Canada and Japan, for obvious reasons. Game 7 of the ALCS, in which the Toronto Blue Jays eliminated the Seattle Mariners and advanced to their first World Series since 1993, averaged six million viewers in Canada, the most-watched Blue Jays game ever on Sportsnet. Overall, the game drew 15.03 million combined between Sportsnet and the Fox family of networks and streaming, the […]
Jets won’t name a QB1, Will we see AI refs? + Can Lamar Jackson save the Ravens’ season?
Subscribe to Inside CoverageYahoo Sports’ Andrew Siciliano and Charles Robinson break down Sean Payton walking back his comments on Russell Wilson and debate whether Russ should still be upset. The guys then dive into the QB dilemma between Woody Johnson and Aaron Glenn before exploring how AI could change NFL officiating. They tackle the future of the tush push, the Pro Bowl’s move to Super Bowl week, and preview Vikings-Chargers on TNF. Finally, they close things out with a question on what’s next for the Ravens if they fall to 1-6 and whether John Harbaugh’s message is growing stale.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement(3:24) Sean Payton walks back Russ comments(16:04) Aaron Glenn keeping QB a secret(23:06) Goodell says NFL exploring AI referee assistance(34:37) Could the “Tush Push” be finally banned?(38:53) Pro Bowl moves to Tuesday of Super Bowl week(46:22) TNF Preview: Vikings-Chargers(54:04) What if the […]
Be the first to leave a comment