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Forbes ranked Lionel Messi as the highest-paid athlete of 2019, with estimated earnings of $127 million. The list covered earnings from June 1, 2018, through June 1, 2019—not athletes’ total wealth or net worth.
Forbes’s 10 highest-paid athletes of 2019
The ranking reports estimated earnings in U.S. dollars. Forbes included salaries, prize money and bonuses, as well as estimates for sponsorships, appearance fees and licensing. It excluded taxes, agent fees and investment income. These are estimates, not audited personal financial statements. Forbes Italia published the ranking on June 11, 2019; BBC Sport also reported the top ten.
| Rank | Athlete | Sport | Estimated earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lionel Messi | Football (soccer) | $127 million |
| 2 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Football (soccer) | $109 million |
| 3 | Neymar | Football (soccer) | $105 million |
| 4 | Canelo Alvarez | Boxing | $94 million |
| 5 | Roger Federer | Tennis | $93.4 million |
| 6 | Russell Wilson | American football | $89.5 million |
| 7 | Aaron Rodgers | American football | $89.3 million |
| 8 | LeBron James | Basketball | $89 million |
| 9 | Stephen Curry | Basketball | $79.8 million |
| 10 | Kevin Durant | Basketball | $65.4 million |
What the earnings figures include
“Richest” is often used casually for this list, but the figures measure a year of estimated income, not accumulated assets. Forbes’s calculation combined on-field earnings—such as salaries, winnings and bonuses—with off-field income estimates for endorsements, appearances and licensing.
The distinction matters when comparing athletes: an endorsement estimate is not the same thing as cash salary, and neither figure tells you an athlete’s net worth. Forbes’s published split for the top three illustrates the mix:
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| Athlete | Salary and winnings | Endorsements | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lionel Messi | $92 million | $35 million | $127 million |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | $65 million | $44 million | $109 million |
| Neymar | $75 million | $30 million | $105 million |
These breakdowns were reported by Forbes Brasil. They are available here for these three athletes; the figures should not be extrapolated to the other seven.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What stands out about the 2019 list
- Messi reached No. 1 for the first time. His estimated $127 million led Ronaldo by $18 million.
- Footballers held the first three places. Ronaldo ranked second at $109 million and Neymar third at $105 million. Kurt Badenhausen, a senior editor at Forbes Media, pointed to football’s global reach as reflected in the top three; Forbes Italia published his comment in Italian.
- The top 100 earned $4 billion combined. Forbes said that total was up 5% from $3.8 billion the prior year. The minimum earnings to make the 2019 top 100 was $25 million.
- Basketball had the most athletes in the full ranking. It accounted for 35 of the 100 athletes and a combined $1.29 billion in earnings; Forbes reported that 72% of basketball’s total came from salaries rather than endorsements.
- The list spanned 25 countries. Forbes counted 62 U.S. athletes among the 100. Serena Williams ranked 63rd and was the only woman on the list.
The broader ranking context and figures are from Forbes Italia’s 2019 list.
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