Unsurprisingly, Kylian Mbappe is one of the highest-paid athletes in 2024 but according to Forbes, there are five people within the sporting industry who earn more than the Real Madrid star.
Earlier this year, Forbes did a breakdown of the highest-earning athletes of 2024, including their on and off-field earnings.
According to the report, Mbappe is taking home a yearly salary of $110million (£85.2m) when combining his salary and various off-field sponsorships. We’ve compiled a list of the five athletes who are currently earning more than that in 2024.
5. Giannis Antetokounmpo – $111million
The Greek/Nigerian basketball star currently takes home a yearly wage of $111million (£85.9m) which makes him the fifth highest-paid athlete in 2024 according to Forbes.
Of the $111million lump sum, 41.4% of his earnings are through his on-field earnings, while the remaining 58.6% of his earnings are via sponsorships and other off-field activities.
While fellow basketballers like Steph Curry and Kevin Durant earn more than Antetokounmpo in on-field earnings, the 29-year-old makes up the difference with his various lucrative sponsorship deals.
4. LeBron James – $128.2million
Unsurprisingly, LeBron is the highest-earning basketball player of 2024 with yearly earnings estimated to be $128.2million (£99.2m).
Even for those who don’t keep up to date with basketball, LeBron is a household name and it’s no surprise that he ranks among the highest-paid athletes in the world.
“He is much farther along in his career than I am, and projects outside of sport have cemented his place as a sporting legend,” Mbappe told British GQ when discussing LeBron.
“Being able to ask for advice from inspiring figures like him provides an opportunity to adjust my plan and create my own approach that is as effective as possible in terms of helping young people today.”
3. Lionel Messi – $135million
While Messi is no longer the highest-paid footballer on the planet when it comes to on-field earnings, his various sponsorships still make him one of the highest-earning athletes in the world today.
When signing for Inter Miami last year, the 37-year-old agreed to revenue-sharing agreements with huge companies like Adidas and Apple.
Given he’s one of the most marketable footballers on the planet, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that he’s earning such as vast sum.
Even at 37, Messi still manages to put defenders on their backside with ease.
2. Jon Rahm – $218million
When totting up the money Rahm is currently making from prize money and endorsements, his yearly earnings dwarf the majority of other big names in the sporting industry.
The 29-year-old is by far the highest-earning golfer in the world today, earning more than the likes of Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods in 2024 according to Forbes.
However, his total earnings of $218million (£168.8m) aren’t quite big enough to secure him the top spot on this list.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo – $260million
Who else?
Along with being the outright highest-paid footballer in the world at Al-Nassr, Ronaldo also makes a shedload of cash through his various sponsorships and other businesses.
It’s been well-documented that footballers playing in Saudi Arabia are earning the big bucks, but Ronaldo’s contract with Al-Nassr blows everyone else’s out of the water.
The 39-year-old recently set up his own YouTube channel which has rapidly amassed an audience of over 65 million people. No doubt he’ll be earning a pretty penny from that too.
In total, Forbes has estimated that CR7 is currently making $260million (£201m) per year. That’s the equivalent of $5million (£3.9m) per week.