Cristiano Ronaldo tops list of highest-paid athletes, Ben Simmons the only Australian, no women in top 100

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Cristiano Ronaldo has again taken out the top spot on the list of the world's highest-paid athletes, earning a total of US$260 million in 2024, according to sports industry news site Sportico, while no women made it into the top 100.

The top 100 athletes, comprising mainly of players from football, the NBA, the NFL, golf and boxing, raked in an estimated $6.2 billion in total earnings last year. This figure comprised $4.8 billion in salary and prize money, plus $1.4 billion in endorsement deals.

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Former US Open tennis champion Coco Gauff was the top-earning female athlete last year, raking in a total of $30.4 million. She fell well short of Minnesota Vikings' quarterback Daniel Jones, who made it into the top 100 with a total income of $37.5 million.

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Ronaldo's big-money deal with the Saudi Arabian soccer team Al-Nassr meant he kept his top spot for a second year running after joining the Saudi Pro League in December 2022.

Sportico said the Portuguese footballer, who turned 40 last week, banked a massive $215 million in salary and also earned an extra $45 million in endorsement deals.

Ronaldo is a long way ahead of the other athletes in the world, with Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry coming in second, earning $153.8 million, which is over $100 million less than what the five-time Ballon d'Or winner has made.

Australian boxer Tyson Fury, who lost to Ukraine's Oleksandr Usyk in a heavyweight clash in December, is third on the list at $147 million, with Usyk seventh ($122 million).

The rest of the top five are rounded out by Inter Miami's Argentina captain Lionel Messi ($135 million) and Los Angeles Lakers basketballer LeBron James ($133.2 million) – the only 40-year-old bloke still playing in the NBA.

The top 100 is comprised of athletes from eight sports, originating from 27 different countries.

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Gauff could rise up the rankings in the years to come, following in the footsteps of other female athletes who've cracked the top 10 in the past.

Forbes magazine reported that Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, earned the title of the world's top-earning female athlete in 2022, with a total income of $57.3 million, comprising prize money and endorsement deals.

Former tennis ace Serena Williams, who took out 23 singles grand slam titles, raked in $41.8 million in 2021, according to Forbes. The American tennis star called it quits in 2022 at the US Open.

Reuters/ABC