Cristiano Ronaldo at his club side Al Nassr.
Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has become the world’s highest-paid athlete for the first time since 2017 after his move to Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr.
Forbes report says the 38-year-old Portugal forward earned $136m (£108.7m) over the past 12 months.
His contract with Al Nassr is reportedly worth more than 200m euros (£176.5m) per annum.
While Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain Lionel Messi is second on Forbes’ list having earned $130m (£103.9m)
Forbes’ top 10 also features basketball star LeBron James and boxer Canelo Alvarez, while 20-time tennis Grand Slam champion Roger Federer is the only retired athlete on the list in ninth place.
List of the World’s top 10 highest paid athletes 2023;
1. Cristiano Ronaldo – $136million ($46m in on-field earnings)
2. Lionel Messi – $130million ($65m in on-field earnings)
3. Kylian Mbappe – $120million ($100m in on-field earnings)
4. LeBron James – $119.5million ($44.5m in on-field earnings)
5. Canelo Alvarez – $110million ($100m in on-field earnings)
6. Dustin Johnson – $107million ($102m in on-field earnings)
7. Phil Mickelson – $106million ($104m in on-field earnings)
8. Stephen Curry – $100.4million ($48.4m in on-field earnings)
9. Roger Federer – $95.1million ($0.1m in on-field earnings)
10. Kevin Durant – $89.1million ($41.1m in on-field earnings).
Writing by Tersoo Nicholas