PARIS — Lionel Messi was the world’s highest-paid athlete over the last year, according to the annual Forbes list released on Wednesday that had the Paris Saint-Germain forward ahead of the NBA’s LeBron James and Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo.
Los Angeles Lakers forward James was next on the list after bringing home a combined US$121 million, shattering the US$96.5 million record for an NBA player that he set last year, while Portugal captain Ronaldo earned US$115 million to sit third.
Brazilian soccer player Neymar (US$95 million) and three-time NBA champion Stephen Curry (US$92.8 million) of the Golden State Warriors rounded out the top five.
NBA player Kevin Durant (US$92 million) was sixth while Swiss tennis great Roger Federer, who played five tournaments in 2021 before a knee operation curtailed his season, was third with total earnings of US$90.7 million.
The final three spots on the list went to Mexican boxer Canelo Alvarez (US$90 million), seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady (US$83.9 million) and reigning NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo (US$80.9 million).
Forbes said its on-the-field earnings figures include all prize money, salaries and bonuses earned during the 12-month period while off-field earnings are an estimate of sponsorship deals, appearance fees and licensing income.
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