Cristiano Ronaldo named ahead of Lionel Messi as highest-earning athlete with pair ranking above NBA stars LeBron James & Steph Curry

Ronaldo Messi

Cristiano Ronaldo has been named the highest-earning athlete on the planet for last year, just beating long-time rival Lionel Messi who ranked third.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Reported by The Sun, the top ten highest-paid athletes in the world in 2024 have been revealed, according to stats by bestbettingsitesoffers.co.uk. While it may come as no great surprise that Ronaldo came out on top, the margin of victory may be surprising - as the 40-year-old is said to have earned £192.40million ($260m), almost double Messi's total of £99.90m ($135m).

Cristiano Ronaldo

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Golfer Jon Rahm placed second with £161.32m ($218m), while the top ten also included footballers Kylian Mbappe (6th, £81.4m), Neymar (7th, £79.92m) and Karim Benzema (8th, £78.44m) and NBA icons LeBron James (4th, £94.87m) and Steph Curry (9th, £75.38m).

The report claims that Messi earns more off the pitch than he does on it, due to his 'worldwide brand recognition', one of only two athletes on the list to achieve this feat. Despite this, he remains a fair distance behind Ronaldo's stunning total income, as two of the greatest of all time do battle once again.

DID YOU KNOW?

This is the second consecutive year that Ronaldo has been named as the world's highest-earning athlete, having been named of Forbes' list in 2023. The rankings reflect not only salary and winnings but brand deals and endorsements off the pitch in addition. The strong representation of footballers on the list reflects the financial might of the sport on a global scale, particularly in the context where multiple of the players featured currently play in the notoriously-wealthy Saudi Pro League.

Ronaldo Messi

WHAT NEXT FOR RONALDO AND MESSI?

Both iconic players will have their sighs set on having a strong season at domestic level and with their national sides, while remaining fit for the World Cup next summer. While we await confirmation of whether the two superstars will take part in the competition, it is highly likely to be the final opportunity for both men if they do.