#1 Conor McGregor
Athlete, UFC
PHOTO BY MIKE ROACH/ZUFFA LLC VIA GETTY IMAGES
2021 THE WORLD'S HIGHEST-PAID ATHLETES EARNINGS
$180M
as of 6/4/21
- McGregor's loss to Dustin Poirier in January 2021 was only his third UFC fight since 2016, but he remains mixed martial arts' biggest star.
- He banked an estimated $22 million for the Poirier fight and more than $30 million for his previous fight, a knockout of Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone.
- McGregor founded Irish whiskey distiller Proper No. Twelve in 2018, and the brand is now available in eight countries, including the U.S.
- He sold his majority stake in Proper No. Twelve to Proximo Spirits for $150 million in April 2021.
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#2 Lionel Messi
Athlete, Soccer
PHOTO BY SILVESTRE SZPYLMA/QUALITY SPORTS IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES2021 THE WORLD'S HIGHEST-PAID ATHLETES EARNINGS
$130Mas of 6/4/21- Messi has claimed FIFA's player of the year award and the European Golden Shoe for top scorer on the continent six times, a record for each award.
- A contract leak in January 2021 showed Messi was making much more at FC Barcelona than previously thought; the deal was set to expire in June 2021.
- The leaked contract showed Messi could earn up to $165 million annually in salary and incentives and an unmatched figure in team sports.
- He launched his own clothing line and opened his first retail outlet, the Messi Store, in 2019 in Barcelona. He also has a lifelong deal with Adidas.
- The World Health Organization tapped Messi in March 2020 to help lead a worldwide campaign to stop the spread of Covid-19.
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#3 Cristiano Ronaldo
Athlete, Soccer
PHOTO BY NICOLÒ CAMPO/LIGHTROCKET VIA GETTY IMAGES2021 THE WORLD'S HIGHEST-PAID ATHLETES EARNINGS
$120Mas of 6/4/21- In February 2021, Ronaldo became the first person to reach 500 million followers across Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
- In March 2021, he passed Brazilian legend Pele's goal tally; a hat trick against Serie A foe Cagliari pushed him up to 770 goals in all competitions.
- His four-year contract with Juventus is worth an average of $64 million a year and expires in 2022.
- Ronaldo, a five-time FIFA player of the year, in 2020 became the first active team-sport athlete to surpass $1 billion in career earnings.
- In addition to a lifetime deal with Nike, Ronaldo makes money off the pitch with his CR7-branded clothing, accessories, hotels, and gyms.
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#4 Dak Prescott
Athlete, NFL
PHOTO BY RON JENKINS/AP2021 THE WORLD'S HIGHEST-PAID ATHLETES EARNINGS
$107.5Mas of 6/4/21- Prescott signed a four-year, $160 million contract extension with the Cowboys in March 2021 that came with a $66 million signing bonus.
- His $107.5 million in total earnings for the 12 months through April 2021 sets a record for NFL players.
- In May 2021, the star quarterback announced an investment in Texas's four Walk-On casual dining restaurants.
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#5 LeBron James
Athlete, NBA
PHOTO BY BRIAN ROTHMULLER/ICON SPORTSWIRE/NEWSCOM2021 THE WORLD'S HIGHEST-PAID ATHLETES EARNINGS
$96.5Mas of 6/3/21- Four-time NBA MVP LeBron James joined the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018 with a four-year, $153 million contract.
- He has the NBA's top endorsement portfolio and his own production company (SpringHill Entertainment) and media company (Uninterrupted).
- James teamed up with Cindy Crawford, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Lindsey Vonn in 2018 to launch Ladder, a health and wellness company.
- The LeBron James Family Foundation opened its first elementary school in 2018 and planned to spend $41 million to send kids to college.
- James and his partners own 19 Blaze Pizza franchises in Chicago and South Florida. He is also an investor and paid endorser for the company.
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