Cristiano Ronaldo, on the strength of his fabulous contract with the Saudi club Al-Nassr, is the highest paid sportsman in the world in 2023, with 136 million dollars in income (124 million euros), ahead of Lionel Messi and Kilian Mbappé, according to the annual Forbes ranking published on Tuesday. The 38-year-old Portuguese striker is back in first place, having held it in 2016 and 2017.
This return to the top is the direct consequence of his departure from Manchester United for Saudi Arabia in January, as his two contracts combined will bring him this season 46 million dollars (42 million euros), to which are added 90 (82 ) from various business partnerships over the last twelve months.
Messi dislodged
Committed until 2025 with Al-Nassr, Ronaldo will receive an annual salary of 75 million dollars, estimates the American specialized media which also anticipates “additional marketing opportunities” in this country of which he is now an unofficial sports ambassador. A role also taken on by Lionel Messi, dislodged from first place despite his 130 million dollars (118 million euros) in gross income before taxes. The Argentinian is indeed bound by a big contract with the tourist office of the Kingdom, while playing for Paris Saint-Germain, a club owned by the rival emirate of Qatar, which has just suspended him several days after a trip two days in Riyadh without the agreement of its leaders.
The two soccer superstars aren’t the only ones to reflect Saudi Arabia’s big investments in the sport, as Americans Dustin Johnson ($107m) and Phil Mickelson (106) appear in the top 10 at the sixth and seventh, reaping the dividends of their migration from the PGA Tour to dissident Kingdom-funded LIV Golf.
Mbappe on the podium
A Frenchman nevertheless completes the podium, in the person of Kilian Mbappé, who makes a spectacular leap from 35th to 3rd place, with 120 million dollars in income (109 million euros), on the strength of his contract renewed last year. spent with PSG, which brought him 100 (91 million euros). In addition to this biggest salary in world football, there are 20 million earned off the field. Right behind him is Lakers superstar basketball player LeBron James, 38, and his $119.5 million in revenue, of which $75 million is non-sports earnings.