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<p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script><ul><li>Portuguese icon well clear in first place</li><li>Eight sports represented in top 100</li><li>Five football players inside the top 10</li></ul><table><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va2ivxLJJhzdzbJdwo0n"><strong>Follow GOAL on WhatsApp!</strong></a> 🟢📱</td></tr></tbody></table>

Cristiano Ronaldo tops list of highest-paid athletes in 2024 ahead of NBA superstar Steph Curry, heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury and eternal rival Lionel Messi

<p>Evergreen frontman Ronaldo, who is <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/cristiano-ronaldo-final-career-goals-man-utd-coach-cr7-objectives-lebron-james-target-involving-portuguese-goat-son/blt9b4b88b27269a562" target="_blank">still going strong with Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr at 40 years of age</a>, earned $260 million (£208m) across the last calendar year – with $215m (£172m) of that coming from his <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/cristiano-ronaldo-agrees-extend-al-nassr-contract-neymar-al-hilal-highest-paid-player-football-history/blt6f4903f86d02e6b5" target="_blank">record-breaking contract in the Middle East</a>.</p>

WHAT HAPPENED?

<p>NBA superstar Curry, of the Golden State Warriors, fills second spot on the <a href="https://www.sportico.com/feature/highest-paid-athletes-in-the-world-1234765608/" target="_blank"><em>Sportico</em></a> top-earners list on $153.8m (£123m). Former world heavyweight boxing champion Fury is third ($147m/£118m), while Ronaldo’s eternal rival <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/lionel-messi-stay-inter-miami-2026-happy-claim-alexis-mac-allister-argentina-international-future-mls-world-cup-trophy-defence/blte1763b48093403e0" target="_blank">Messi – who is now in MLS with Inter Miami</a> – sitting fourth ($135m/£108m) and LA Lakers icon LeBron James ($133.2m/£107m) completing the top five.</p>

THE GOSSIP

<p>Overall, the top 100 highest-paid athletes on the planet pulled in an estimated $6.2 billion (£5bn) between them. Prominent figures from eight different sports – football, basketball, boxing, golf, American football, Formula 1, baseball and tennis – make the list, with 27 countries represented.</p>

DID YOU KNOW?

<p>There are no female athletes inside the top 100, with tennis superstar Coco Gauff – who won her maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open in 2024 – the top earner in her field at $30.4m (£24m). Her on and off-court appeal is expected to help her climb the charts in years to come.</p><picture><source srcset="https://assets.goal.com/images/v3/bltb43386893cd79a3a/GOAL%202.0%20-%20Starting%20XI%20-%20X.png?format=webp" type="image/webp"><source srcset="https://assets.goal.com/images/v3/bltb43386893cd79a3a/GOAL%202.0%20-%20Starting%20XI%20-%20X.png?format=jpg" type="image/jpeg"><img src="https://assets.goal.com/images/v3/bltb43386893cd79a3a/GOAL%202.0%20-%20Starting%20XI%20-%20X.png?format=jpg" alt="Top 10 highest-paid athletes 2024" data-source="Getty Images" data-copyright="Getty/GOAL" data-portal-copyright="Getty/GOAL" perform:prop="uuid:bltb43386893cd79a3a;width:1080;height:1350"></picture>

TELL ME MORE

<p>When it comes to world No.1 Ronaldo, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner has now earned at least $100m (£80m) across eight straight years. His <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/cristiano-ronaldo-earns-twice-as-much-lionel-messi-record-breaking-financial-figures-al-nassr-inter-miami-forbes/bltb55809193539bb44" target="_blank">career earnings are now said to top</a> $1.8bn (£1.4bn), with his on-field salary being complemented by endorsement deals with the likes of Nike, Herbalife and Binance.</p>

WHAT NEXT?

Cristiano Ronaldo tops list of highest-paid athletes in 2024 ahead of NBA superstar Steph Curry, heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury and eternal rival Lionel Messi | Goal.com

Cristiano Ronaldo was the world’s highest-paid athlete in 2024, with the Portuguese topping the likes of Steph Curry, Tyson Fury and Lionel Messi.