Forbes has released its list of the world’s highest-paid athletes, and the numbers are so ridiculous they almost look like typing errors.
Leading the money parade is soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, who continues to earn cash at a rate that would make a small country’s finance minister jealous. Not far behind are boxing king Canelo Alvarez and soccer legend Lionel Messi.
Then comes LeBron James. At No. 4 on the list, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar earned a jaw-dropping $137.8 million over the last year. Not over a decade, not over five years. One year!
At this point, LeBron isn’t just playing basketball, he’s collecting businesses like people collect trading cards.
Then there’s Shohei Ohtani. The Dodgers superstar also cracked the top five, proving once again that being able to dominate baseball as both a pitcher and hitter apparently comes with financial benefits.
The 31-year-old earned an estimated $127.6 million. The Dodgers paid Ohtani just $2.6 million this season because of the deferrals included in his landmark 10-year, $700 million contract.
What’s perhaps the most impressive aspect of Ohtani’s revenue is his off the field earnings, which totaled $125 million (significantly more than any of the other athletes in the top five). James is the only athlete to come close, earning an estimated $85 million off the field.
Ohtani’s global stardom is palpable as he’s partnered with over 20 brands, including Fanatics, New Balance, Nishikawa and Kose.
For now, Ronaldo sits comfortably at the top of the mountain, while LeBron and Ohtani continue building empires that stretch far beyond the court and baseball diamond.
The lesson here? Practice your jump shot, work on your swing, or become friends with someone on this list, because judging by these earnings, that’s probably the closest most people will ever get to seeing this kind of money.
