Highest-paid athletes in the world: Cristiano Ronaldo tops list, beating out LeBron James, Shohei Ohtani and Canelo Alvarez
- - Highest-paid athletes in the world: Cristiano Ronaldo tops list, beating out LeBron James, Shohei Ohtani and Canelo Alvarez
Chris Cwik January 15, 2026 at 8:12 AM
1
On the list of the highest-paid athletes in the world, soccer legend Cristiano Ronaldo holds an easy lead over everyone else. The Al-Nassr forward topped Sportico's 2026 list of highest-paid athletes, coming in with a salary over $100 million more than the next athlete on the list.
Ronaldo's contract with Al-Nassr is incredibly lucrative. The forward reportedly signed a two-year, nearly-$700 million extension with the club last June. When Ronaldo initially joined the team in 2022, he reportedly signed a then-record deal set to pay him €200 million per year.
All of that made Ronaldo the No. 1 highest-paid athlete in the world on Sportico's list. Due to the way Sportico structures its list, Ronaldo is listed with a $260 million salary, making him the far-and-away leader compared to other athletes.
Boxer Canelo Alvarez — who signed a then-record $365 million deal with DAZN in 2018 — sits second on the list with a $137 million salary. Alvarez, who fought Terence Crawford in September, reportedly earned between $100 million and $150 million for that fight.
Two other soccer stars sit in the top-10, with Lionel Messi coming in third. The Inter Miami star is said to have a $130 million salary. Karim Benzema, who ranks sixth on Sportico's list, makes $115 million per year.
The rest of the top 10 is littered with athletes from other sports. While Shohei Ohtani and his $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers get all the press, he's not the highest-paid MLB player on the list. That would be New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto, who signed a 15-year, $765 million deal last offseason, breaking Ohtani's record. Soto ranked fourth on Sportico's list. Ohtani ranked eighth.
Three NBA players hold spots in the top 10, with Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James leading the way in the sport. James ranks fifth with a $128.7 million salary. Sportico estimates $80 million of that comes from endorsements, one of the highest endorsement totals on the list. Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry ranks seventh on the list. Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant comes in at ninth.
Golfer John Rahm rounds out the top 10, coming in with a $100.7 million salary. Rahm joined LIV Golf in 2023 on a deal rumored to be worth $500 million.
The only other athlete on Sportico's list with an estimated salary over $100 million is F1 racer Lewis Hamilton, who ranked 11th on the list with a salary of exactly $100 million.
Source: “AOL Sports”
