Top 50 Highest Paid Athletes of All Time in the World [with Earnings]

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Are you looking for the highest paid athletes of all time in the world? Who has made the most money in the history of the world? Fans often want to know which athletes in their favorite sports make the most money because salaries are always going up. But professional sports have become a global business, and leagues are making more money than ever before. Who is the world’s richest athlete, and what do they do? This should be the question that sports fans ask.

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Inflation-adjusted, Michael Jordan is the highest paid athlete of all time, according to a recent article in Sportivo. He makes $2.2 billion. At the top of the list was Jordan. On the list is Vince McMahon, who is worth $2.1 billion, Ion Tiriac, who is worth $1.7 billion, and Tiger Woods, who is worth $800 million.

We hope to answer that question and a lot more with this list of some of the highest paid athletes of all time and the sports that bring them huge, multi-million-dollar paychecks every year.

Who are the Highest Paid Athletes of All Time in the World?

To find out who the highest paid athletes in the world are, you have to get rid of all the useless information. The average person doesn’t know what their net worth is and doesn’t care that their favorite players make more money through endorsement deals. Fans of football, baseball, and basketball want to know how much football, baseball, and basketball players make at what they see as their full-time jobs.

But there are athletes in combat sports, tennis, golf, and auto racing who make a lot of money, but it depends on how well they do, so they don’t get the same amount every year. This list is all about the stars who will make a lot of money no matter what happens in their current or next seasons. You might be surprised by some of the names.

Here’s a look at the full top 50 lists of Highest Paid Athletes of All Time:

Rank	Athlete	Country	Sport	Age	Net worth
1	Michael Jordan	USA	Basketball	59	$2.2 billion
2	Vince McMahon	USA	Professional Wrestling	75	$2.1 billion
3	Ion Tiriac	Romania	Tennis	81	$1.7 billion
4	Anna Kasprzak	Danish	Dressage Rider	32	$1 billion
5	Tiger Woods	USA	Golf		$800 million
6	Michael Schumacher	Germany	Racing	52	$780 million
7	Arnold Palmer	USA	Golf	NA	$700 million
8	Magic Johnson	USA	Basketball	61	$620 million
9	Lionel Messi	Argentina	Soccer	35	$600 million
10	Roger Staubach	USA	American Football	79	$600 million
11	LeBron James	USA	Basketball	36	$600 million
12	Junior Bridgeman	USA	Basketball	68	$600 million
13	Eddie Jordan	Ireland	Racing	65	$600 million
14	Kobe Bryant	USA	Basketball	42	$600 million
15	Floyd Mayweather	USA	Boxing	45	$560 million
16	Roger Federer	Switzerland	Tennis	40	$550 million
17	Cristiano Ronaldo	Portugal	Soccer	36	$550 million
18	Quinn Cook	USA	Basketball	26	$500 million
19	David Beckham	United Kingdom	Soccer	47	$450 million
20	Bud Selig	USA	Baseball		$400 million
21	Phil Mickelson	USA	Golf	50	$400 million
22	Shaquille O’Neal	USA	Basketball	49	$400 million
23	Greg Norman	Australia	Golf	64	$400 million
24	Michael Buffer	USA	Boxing	77	$400 million
25	Vinnie Johnson	USA	Basketball	65	$400 million
26	Alex Rodriguez	USA	Baseball	46	$350 million
27	The Rock Dwayne Johnson	USA	Wrestling	50	$320 million
28	Jack Nicklaus	USA	Golf		$320 million
29	Dale Earnhardt Jr	USA	Racing	47	$300 million
30	Hakeem Olajuwon	USA	Basketball	59	$300 million
31	Lewis Hamilton	United Kingdom	Racing	36	$285 million
32	Wayne Gretzky	Canada	Ice Hockey	61	$250 million
33	George Foreman	USA	Boxing	71	$250 million
34	Grant Hill	USA	Basketball	49	$250 million
35	Fernando Alonso	Spain	Formula One Racing	40	$240 million
36	Neymar Jr	Brazil	Soccer	30	$225 million
37	Dale Earnhardt, Jr.	USA	Racing	45	$225 million
38	Paul Caddick	United Kingdom	Rugby	70	$225 million
39	Serena Williams	USA	Tennis	40	$225 million
40	Dave Whelan	United Kingdom	Soccer	85	$220 million
41	Kimi Raikkonen	Finland	Formula One Racing	42	$200 million
42	Richard Childress	USA	NASCAR	75	$200 million
43	John Madden	USA	American Football	85	$200 million
44	Oscar De La Hoya	USA	Boxing	49	$200 million
45	Peyton Manning	USA	American Football	46	$200 million
46	Sachin Tendulkar	India	Cricketer	49	$200 million
47	Maria Sharapova	Russia	Tennis	34	$195 million
48	Kevin Garnett	USA	Basketball	44	$190 million
49	Manny Pacquiao	Philippines	Boxing	43	$190 million
50	Kevin Durant	USA	Basketball	33	$170 million

Top 50 Highest Paid Athletes of All Time

1. Michael Jordan

Sport: Basketball
Net worth: $2.2 billion

Jordan still has long-term deals with Gatorade, Hanes, Nike, and Upper Deck, but it was the $175 million fire-sale price he paid for the Charlotte Bobcats (now the Hornets) in 2010 that made him a billionaire. Jordan’s stake in the Hornets went up to 90% in 2013, and the team is now worth $780 million. Currently, Michael Jordan secures the first position of the top highest paid athletes of all time.

2. Vince McMahon

Sport: Professional Wrestling
Net worth: 2.1 billion

In 2022, Vince McMahon will be the athlete with the most money. Vince, who used to wrestle professionally and was known as “Mr. McMahon,” is the founder of WWE. He hired big-name wrestlers like Undertaker, Hulk Hogan, and Stone Cold, who helped him grow his business to where it is now. Vince McMahon’s net worth reached a staggering $2.2 billion in 2022 thanks to ticket sales, sponsorships, and merchandise sales. the Lakers’ former president of basketball operations. He gets the second position among the top highest paid athletes of all time in the world.

3. Ion Tiriac

Ion Tiriac- Highest Paid Athletes of All Time — Photo Credit: Forbes.com

Sport: Tennis
Net worth: $1.7 billion

Ion Tiriac, a Romanian business mogul and former professional tennis player known as the “Brașov Bulldozer,” is the second richest athlete in the world. Ion Tiriac might not be as well-known as Vince McMahon or Michael Jordan, but he has made some smart investments since he stopped playing tennis in 1987. After he stopped playing tennis professionally, Ion Tiriac coached and managed successful tennis players before putting more money into the business.

4. Anna Kasprzak

Sport: Dressage Rider
Net worth: $1 Billion

Danish dressage rider Anna Kasprzak has a net worth of $1 billion. Anna Kasprzak was born in Germany in December 1989, in the town of Grevenbroich. She has competed for Denmark at the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics. She has also been the country’s representative at the 2014 World Equestrian Games and the 2013 and 2015 European Dressage Championships.

Anna Kasprzak has won bronze medals in team dressage at the 2008 Azeitao European Young Riders Champions, the 2009 Ermelo European Young Riders Championships, and the 2010 Kronberg European Young Riders Championships in freestyle dressage, and the 2010 Kronberg European Young Riders Championships in team dressage. She has also won bronze medals in individual events at the 2005 European Junior Championships in Billund.

5. Tiger Woods

Sport: Golf
Net worth: $800 Million

Because of injuries, the 14-time major winner has only played in 18 official PGA Tour tournaments since the beginning of 2014. He didn’t make it to the finals or dropped out of half of them. Sponsors still see value in working with Woods. The most recent companies to add their names to his list of endorsements are TaylorMade, Bridgestone, and Monster Energy. With all of these things, Tiger Woods is the 5th highest paid athletes of all time in the world’s history.

6. Michael Schumacher

Sport: Racing
Net worth: $780 Million

Since he went into a coma in 2013 after a skiing accident in the Alps, Schumacher’s health has been in danger. The F1 star was the best at his sport and won seven titles. Only six other athletes have been at the top of Forbes’ list of the highest paid athletes of all time since 1990.

7. Arnold Palmer

Sport: Golf
Net worth: $700 Million

Even though Palmer died in September 2016, his estate made $40 million in the last year. Arnold Palmer’s clothes are sold in more than 400 stores in Asia, and plans are in the works to expand into new markets like Thailand and Vietnam. His estate has contracts with 39 people. Mark McCormack started IMG, and his first client was Arnold Palmer. They changed how sports marketing was done when they worked together.

8. Magic Johnson

Sport: Basketball
Net worth: $620 Million

Earvin “Magic” Johnson, who is in the NBA Hall of Fame, is a basketball legend who has done well in the business world. His two years in college came to an end with one of the best college basketball games ever played in the United States. In the 1980s, Magic Johnson of the Los Angeles Lakers and Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics were the best players in the NBA. Magic was smart about business from the start. He bought several radio stations, signed endorsement deals, and later became a part-owner of the Los Angeles Lakers.

9. Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi - Highest Paid Athletes of All Time — Photo Credit: Goal.com

Sport: Soccer
Net worth: $600 Million

Since he was 13 years old, Messi has played for Barcelona. He signed a new contract with Camp Nou last month that will keep him there through the 2020-21 season. Under the new deal, the player who has scored the most goals in Barcelona’s history can be bought out for $835 million, which is twice what it was before. Lionel Messi is one of the athletes who made the most money in history. Messi ranks among the top highest paid athletes of all time in the world.

10. Roger Staubach

Sport: American Football
Net worth: $600 Million

From 1969 to 1979, Roger Staubach was the quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. Roger Staubach played in the NFL for eleven years. During that time, he led his team to the Super Bowl five times and won two of them. He also made the Pro Bowl six times. Roger worked in real estate on and off during his time in the NFL. When he retired, he started the Staubach Company, which is in the business of the commercial real estate.

11. LeBron James

Sport: Basketball
Net worth: $600 Million

This year, Intel and Verizon, which he already worked with, were joined by Nike, Coca-Cola, Beats by Dre, and Kia Motor. King James owns a piece of 17 Blaze Pizzas, which is the fastest-growing food service business ever.

12. Junior Bridgeman

Sport: Basketball
Net worth: $600 Million

Junior Bridgeman is an American who used to play professional basketball and now runs a fast-food business that is very successful. He is worth $600 million. Junior Bridgeman played for the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA for 12 years. During that time, he had a fairly successful career. The most he ever made in a single season was $350,000. He put all of the money he made into fast-food franchises, in particular Wendy’s food chains. He is now one of the wealthiest athletes in history and a great example of how to be successful after leaving professional sports.

13. Eddie Jordan

Sport: Motorsport Racing
Net worth: $600 Million

Eddie Jordan is a legend in the world of professional racing. He used his skills and experience as a race car driver to build a huge business empire. The Irish businessman came up with the Jordan Grand Prix formula, one team, in 1991. Under his leadership, the team stayed competitive and got a lot of sponsorships. He then sold the business to the Midland group.

14. Kobe Bryant

Sport: Basketball
Net worth: $600 million

Bryant made more money than any other team athlete in history, and for the last six years of his career, he had the highest-paid players in the NBA. The Black Mamba is approaching retirement like he did NBA guards during his 20-year career. He started Kobe Inc. and Bryant Stibel, a venture capital firm, with $100 million.

15. Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Sport: Boxing
Net worth: $560 million

Floyd Mayweather is an American boxer and promoter who is known all over the world. Floyd Mayweather is worth $560 million dollars in total. That makes him the most wealthy boxer ever. As of this writing, Floyd has made more than $1.1 billion in his career.
What’s most impressive about Floyd’s earnings is that he became the fifth highest-paid athlete of all time despite making very little money from endorsements. Most of the top-paid athletes in history, on the other hand, made most of their money from endorsement deals.

16. Roger Federer

Sport: Tennis
Net worth: $550 million

Federer recently won back the title of ATP Tour player who has won the most money over the course of his career. In 2017, he had a great year on the court, which helped him do this. His total prize money from the PGA Tour, $111.9 million, is more than what Novak Djokovic has won, $109.8 million, and what Tiger Woods has won, $110 million. Because of this, Roger Federer is now on the list of the world’s highest paid athletes of all time.

17. Cristiano Ronaldo

Sport: Soccer
Net worth: $550 million

In the last two years, Ronaldo has become the highest-paid athlete in the world. In the year that ended in June, he made $93 million. Now that he has signed a new deal with Real Madrid, the soccer player of the year will make even more money.

18. Quinn Cook

Sport: Basketball
Net worth: $500 million

Quinn Cook is an American professional basketball player whose net worth was $500 million. Quinn Cook was born in Los Angeles on March 23, 1993. He plays basketball for fun. This young man is the son of an ex-NBA player. He went to Duke University in 2011 and has played college basketball there ever since.

19. David Beckham

Sport: Soccer
Net worth: $450 million

Beckham’s royalty deals with Diageo and Global Brands Group have helped him make the most money since he retired. Haig Club is a new single-grain Scotch whisky from Diageo, and Global Brands Group makes consumer goods with the Beckham brand. Beckham is getting closer to making Miami a new home for an MLS team. He paid $25 million, which was a steal, for the right to do this.

20. Bud Selig

Sport: Baseball
Net worth: $450 Million

Bud Selig, unlike most of the other people on this list, never played a professional sport, but he has been very involved in professional baseball. Bud has been involved in professional baseball since 1965 when he put money into a minor league team for the Milwaukee Brewers. Selig bought the Seattle Pilots, moved them to Milwaukee, and changed their name to the Milwaukee Brewers. Selig became the MLB’s acting commissioner in 1992 and kept that job until 2015.

21. Phil Mickelson

Sport: Golf
Net worth: $400 Million

Mickelson makes sales pitches for Amgen, ExxonMobil, KPMG, Rolex, Grayhawk, the Greenbrier, and two new partners, Intrepid Financial Partners and Workday. His total prize money of $84 million is the second-most ever. Tiger’s second-place finish has made Lefty a lot of money. In 2015, for the first time since Tiger Woods turned pro in 1996, he made more money than Tiger.

22. Shaquille O’Neal

Sport: Basketball
Net worth: $400 Million

Last year, O’Neal sold Authentic Brands Group a piece of Shaq’s business. In exchange for a lump-sum payment, Authentic Brands Group got the right to about half of O’Neal’s future licensing and endorsement income. Shaq’s line of cheap shoes has sold more than 120 million pairs over the course of his career.

23. Greg Norman

Sport: Golf
Net worth: $400 Million

Norman sold Authentic Brands Group his future licensing rights in March, just like Shaquille O’Neal and Muhammad Ali did before him. Norman’s company will still run his businesses in real estate, investments, and course design, but ABG will work on his other businesses in clothing, accessories, steak, and wine.

24. Michael Buffer

Sport: Boxing
Net worth: $400 Million

Michael Buffer, who made the phrase “let’s get ready to rumble” famous, is on the list of the wealthiest athletes ever. Michael Buffer was not a professional boxer, but he was part of this group because of his connections to and influence on the sport. Before becoming a model, he served in the U.S. Army for three years. Only after watching a few fights on TV shows did he think he could do a better job than the announcers at the time. Now, it is thought that Michael Buffer has a net worth of $400 Million.

25. Vinnie Johnson

Sport: Basketball
Net worth: $400 Million

Vincent Johnson, who used to play in the NBA and was known as “the microwave” because he could get hot and score points quickly, was a great back-up for the great Isiah Thomas. After two championships with the Detroit Piston, Vinnie retired in 1992 and started a business called the Piston Group. Today, the Piston Group owns four companies that work in the energy and auto industries. These companies have more than 10,000 employees and make more than $2 billion a year.

26. Alex Rodriguez

Sport: Baseball
Net worth: $350 Million

A-Rod played baseball for 22 years and signed two of the three largest contracts in baseball history. Even though he retired last year, the Yankees paid him $20 million in 2017. He has been working as an analyst for Fox Sports and as the host of an upcoming reality show on CNBC since he retired. He’s also been dating Jennifer Lopez, which has brought him a lot of attention.

27. The Rock Dwayne Johnson

Sport: Wrestling
Net worth: $320 Million

Dwayne Johnson, also known as “The Rock,” is an American actor, entrepreneur, and former professional wrestler who is worth $800 million. This includes what we think is The Rock’s 30–40% stake in Teremana Tequila and a conservative estimate of $2 billion for the brand’s value right now. In theory, The Rock could make more than a billion dollars from his tequila business. That would be more money than he has ever made as a performer. The Rock is one of the best-paid entertainers on the planet if you don’t count tequila. In an average year, he makes at least $100 million from his movies and endorsements.

28. Jack Nicklaus

Sport: Golf
Net worth: $320 Million

Nicklaus’s company is in charge of designing 410 courses in 41 different countries. The person who has won 18 major awards is working on three-quarters of these projects. In addition to designing courses, Nicklaus has a business empire that includes wine, ice cream, drinkware, golf academies, lemonade, and more. With his most recent wins, Jack Nicklaus moves up to the fourth spot on the list of the highest paid athletes of all time in the world.

29. Dale Earnhardt Jr

Sport: Racing
Net worth: $300 Million

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is an American NASCAR driver who used to work in the media and is now retired. He is worth $300 million. He owns a NASCAR team, writes books, and gives commentary on NASCAR races for NBC. For three generations, racing has been a family business. Dale is the son of the great NASCAR driver who passed away. Dale Earnhardt, Sr.

30. Hakeem Olajuwon

Sport: Basketball
Net worth: $300 Million

Hakeem Olajuwon is a Nigerian-American former professional basketball player with a $300 million net worth. Hakeem Olajuwon played in the NBA for both the Houston Rockets and the Toronto Raptors. In the mid-1990s, he led the Houston Rockets to back-to-back NBA titles. He was also on the US team that won the gold medal at the Olympics in 1996. Olajuwon is the first player from outside the United States to be both an NBA All-Star and the NBA Most Valuable Player. He is known as one of the best basketball players of all time.

31. Lewis Hamilton

Sport: Racing
Net worth: $285 Million

Lewis Hamilton is a British Formula One racer who works for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team and has a net worth of $285 million. Most people agree that Hamilton is one of the best drivers in sports history. Lewis is one of the F1 drivers who makes the most money in the world. In a typical year, he makes $50 million, most of which comes from his Mercedes contract, which pays $40 million per year.

32. Wayne Gretzky

Sport: Ice Hockey
Net worth: $250 Million

Wayne Douglas Gretzky is a Canadian who grew up in Brantford and used to play and coach professional ice hockey. People know him as one of the best hockey players of all time. In the NHL, he has broken more than 60 records. During his NHL career, Wayne played for some of the best teams, like the Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, Edmonton Oilers, and New York Rangers.

33. George Foreman

Sport: Boxing
Net worth: $250 Million

As of July 2022, it is thought that George Foreman has a net worth of $250 Million. George Foreman is an American boxer who used to fight professionally from 1969 to 1977. He has won the world heavyweight title twice and won a gold medal at the Olympics. Outside of sports, he is a minister, an author, and a business owner.

34. Grant Hill

Sport: Basketball
Net worth: $250 Million

Grant Hill has a net worth of $250 Million as of July 2022. Grant Hill is an American who used to play professional basketball and now works for Orlando City SC as a Hudl videographer. During his time in the NBA, Hill played for the Detroit Pistons, the Orlando Magic, the Phoenix Suns, and the Los Angeles Clippers.

35. Fernando Alonso

Sport: Racing
Net worth: $240 Million

Fernando Alonso is a race car driver from Oviedo, Spain, who used to drive in Formula One. People often say that Alonso is one of the best Formula One drivers in the sport’s history. Fernando Alonso’s estimated net worth in July 2022 is $250 Million.

36. Neymar Jr

Sport: Soccer
Net worth: $225 Million

Neymar is a well-known Brazilian soccer player who is worth an estimated $185 million. In May 2013, he signed a five-year deal with F.C. Barcelona, which was a big step in his career. Neymar da Silva Santos Junior has won a lot of awards for his great finishing, dribbling, speed, and acceleration. In 2011 and 2012, he won the FIFA Puskás Award and the South American Footballer of the Year award. In May of 2013, SportsPro magazine said that he was the most marketable athlete in the world. He was at the top of the list, ahead of athletes like Usain Bolt, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Lionel Messi, who are known all over the world. He plays for PSG in France right now.

37. Dale Earnhardt, Jr

Sport: Racing
Net worth: $225 Million

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is one of NASCAR’s most famous drivers. Even though his famous father helped him a lot, Earnhardt Jr. held his own on the racetrack. Two wins in the Daytona 500, a successful business career, and getting into the NASCAR Hall of Fame are all very impressive. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has a large collection of cars, which makes sense given how well he has done in his career. But despite having a lot of money, the racing legend hasn’t spent a dime on his collection of one-of-a-kind cars.

38. Paul Caddick

Sport: Rugby
Net worth: $225 Million

Paul Caddick, a former rugby player from Britain who is now rich from business, has a net worth of $225 million. In 1980, when a scrum fell apart, he hurt his neck and had to stop playing, but that wasn’t the end of his involvement in rugby. In the 1960s, Caddick began working as a site engineer. He then started Caddick Group, a civil engineering company in Yorkshire that has grown into a property-to-construction group.

39. Serena Williams

Sport: Tennis
Net worth: $225 Million

Serena Jameka Williams was born in Saginaw, Michigan, on September 26, 1981. She and her sister Venus Williams have been the best tennis players for a long time. Serena Williams has been number one in the world five times, and she has won more money than any other woman athlete in history. At both the Sydney and Beijing Olympics, she won a gold medal. She is still the most feared tennis player, and her 13 singles Grand Slam titles make her one of the best of all time.

40. Dave Whelan

Sport: Soccer
Net worth: $220 Million

Dave Whelan is an English soccer player who used to play professionally and has a net worth of $220 Million. On November 24, 1936, he was born in Bradford. From 1956 to 1960, he played for Blackburn Rovers and scored three goals. Whelan broke his leg in the FA Cup Final against Wolverhampton Wanderers. He was then sold to Crewe Alexandra F.C., where he played until 1966.

41. Kimi Raikkonen

Sport: Formula One Racing
Net worth: $200 Million

Kimi Raikkonen is Finnish and used to race in Formula One. In Formula One, he has driven for Sauber, McLaren, Ferrari, Lotus, and Alfa Romeo. In 2007, Kimi Raikkonen won Formula One with Ferrari by one point over Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso. He has always been one of the most popular drivers on the track, and he has one of the biggest fan bases in the sport. Raikkonen holds the record for the most starts in Formula One. He is 41 years old and has been racing at the top level for close to 20 years.

42. Richard Childress

Sport: NASCAR
Net worth: $200 Million

Richard Childress’s net worth is $200 million. He used to drive for NASCAR and has a lot of money from that. Richard Childress was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. His professional racing career got off to a strange start when the NASCAR riders went on strike and he was forced to race. Even though he was only an average driver, with a personal best of third place in 1978, he turned out to be a great manager.

43. John Madden

Sport: American Football
Net worth: $200 Million

John Madden, a well-known NFL game coach, and commentator died on December 28 at the age of 85. The media didn’t say what caused it, and the NFL said it was a surprise. The former Oakland Raiders coach had the best record in the NFL among coaches who had led their teams in more than 100 games. Madden has won 16 Emmy Awards for his work as a commentator and analyst. He was also the creator of the Madden Football video game series from EA Sports. ESPN said that Madden always thought of himself first and foremost as a coach.

44. Oscar De La Hoya

Sport: Boxing
Net worth: $200 Million

Before Mayweather fought Manny Pacquiao in 2015, their 2007 fight was the biggest pay-per-view fight ever, with 2.5 million people buying it. As the fight’s promoter, De La Hoya made a then-record $52 million through his company, Golden Boy Promotions, which he started in 2002. He secures top positions of highest paid athletes of all time.

45. Peyton Manning

Sport: American Football
Net worth: $200 Million

The five-time Most Valuable Player retired as the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards (71,490), touchdowns (539), and total earnings (on and off the field). Even though he is no longer playing, Manning is still a well-known pitchman. He sells products from Nationwide, DirecTV, Gatorade, Papa John’s, and Otterbox. In 2017, he was also the host of the ESPY Awards.

46. Sachin Tendulkar

Sport: Cricketer
Net worth: $200 Million

Sachin Tendulkar is an Indian cricket player who used to play professionally and now has a net worth of $200 million. Sachin Tendulkar led the Indian national team and is thought to be one of the best batsmen in cricket history. He is the only player to have scored 100 international centuries and holds the international record for most runs scored. Tendulkar has won the Arjuna Award, the Khel Ratna Award, the Padma Shri, and the Bharat Ratna, all of which are very prestigious awards.

47. Maria Sharapova

Sport: Tennis
Net worth: $195 Million

Maria Sharapova is a professional tennis player and model from Russia. At age 17, she won her first Grand Slam singles title by beating Serena Williams in the 2004 Wimbledon final. Williams had been the champion for the past two years. She became the third-youngest woman after Martina Hingis and Lottie Dod to win Wimbledon. Forbes says that even though Sharapova hasn’t done well on the court, she is still the highest-paid female athlete in the world. Sharapova has done more than just play tennis. She has been in high-profile modeling jobs like the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and a lot of ads for Nike, Prince, and Canon.

48. Kevin Garnett

Sport: Basketball
Net worth: $190 Million

Garnett played for the Timberwolves, the Celtics, and the Nets for 22 years and earned a record-breaking $334 million. In 1997, when he was 21, he signed a huge six-year, $126 million contract that helped push NBA owners to lock out the players before the 1998-99 season.

49. Manny Pacquiao

Sport: Boxing
Earnings: $190 Million

Pacquiao has made a total of $1.2 billion from selling 18.6 million pay-per-views. The senator’s only fight in 2017 was against Australian Jeff Horn, and he lost. In 2015, when Pacquiao fought Mayweather, he made about $125 million. In his whole life, this was the most money he ever made. Because of this, Manny Pacquiao is one of the highest-paid athletes of all time.

50. Kevin Durant

Sport: Basketball
Net worth: $170 Million

Kevin Durant is a professional basketball player who is worth about $170 million, according to estimates. Kevin Durant was a small forward for the NBA’s Golden State Warriors. The Seattle SuperSonics picked Durant with the second pick in the first round of the 2007 NBA Draft. At the time, he was a student at the University of Texas. In his first year, he won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award, and that same year, he signed a deal with Nike. He was on the US Men’s National Basketball Team that won a gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

What Sport Pays the Highest?

Even though many of the top 10 highest paid athletes of all time come from the same leagues, the sports with the biggest payouts are more diverse when you look at the number of athletes, the number of times competitors are on the field, and the prize amounts for different events. Here are the 10 most lucrative sports.

Basketball
Combat Sports
Auto Racing
Golf
NFL
Soccer
Tennis
NHL
Baseball
Cycling

What is the Biggest Sports Contract of All Time?

When pro athletes leave the field, rink, or court, they don’t always stop competing. When it comes to a sport, having the biggest contract gives you something to brag about. But one athlete has the biggest deal in the history of sports.

In 2017, famous soccer player Lionel Messi signed a $673 million, four-year deal with FC Barcelona. This was the biggest contract any athlete had ever signed. He got a set salary and bonuses that could add up to nearly $167 million per season as part of the unique deal.

What is Michael Jordan’s Net worth?

The Chicago Sun-Times wrote in March that Jordan is worth $1.6 billion. The same article says that this number is $500 million less than it was last year. This could be because GameStop stock went up a lot earlier this year.

What was Michael Jordan’s NBA Salary?

HoopsHype says that Jordan made $86,760,000 while he was playing basketball, which is equal to $144,638,640 in today’s money.

Jordan made the most money in his last year with the Chicago Bulls, 1997-1998, when he made $33,140,000, which is equal to $53,296,273 today. It was a lot more than what he made at the start of his career, and it was even more than the NBA salary cap at the time. Michael Jordan is one of the highest paid athletes of all time.

Which Current Endorsements does Michael Jordan have?

The story in Sportivo says that Jordan’s earnings from playing for the Chicago Bulls and the Washington Wizards only make up 6% of his total earnings. Since he joined the NBA in 1984, his estimated total is based on his salaries, endorsements, licensing deals, and sales of memorabilia. This includes the fact that Nike, Gatorade, Hanes, and Upper Deck continue to support him.

From his famous partnership with Nike, Jordan will get about $150 million in royalties in 2021, according to the article. After the 2002-03 season, he stopped playing basketball for almost 20 years.

Since he stopped playing, Jordan’s “retro” shoes from the 1990s, when he was still playing, have continued to sell well. In the fourth quarter of this year, Nike’s sales and shares went up because of the Jordan brand.

Who has the Most Money in the World?

Since we’re talking about the highest paid athletes of all time in the world, you might be wondering who is the richest person in the world overall. One person has a lot more money than everyone else, just like Jordan. Elon Musk, who founded Space X and Tesla, has so much money that he could swim in it if he wanted to. He has more money than anyone else. The person who buys Twitter right now will have a total wealth of $240 billion.

Conclusion

All of the athletes on this list are good at what they do. They are two of the most marketable athletes in sports history because of how nice they are.

In addition to their skills, these traits have helped them get endorsement deals with top brands worth millions of dollars. This has made them the highest paid athletes of all time.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Highest Paid Athletes of All Time

What is the Net Worth of Lionel Messi?

Goal says that Messi has an estimated net worth of $400 million. People say that he gets his money from, among other things, football contracts, endorsement deals, and investments.

How Much is Ballon’d or Worth?

How much the Ballon d’Or costs, how much it weighs, and how it’s made. FIFA says that the prize for the winner of the award is USD 20,000.

What is the Net Worth of Neymar Jr?

In 2022, how much money does Neymar have? In 2022, Neymar, a Brazilian football star, is expected to have a net worth of about 182 million euros.

Is LeBron a Billionaire?

Forbes says LeBron James is the first NBA player who is still playing to have a net worth of $1 billion. He is the first person to reach this milestone. Only two basketball players, including the star of the Los Angeles Lakers, have a net worth of $1 billion.

Which Athlete is a Billionaire?

Here is where he has his money. LeBron James is a legend in basketball, and he holds a lot of sports records. He is now one of America’s billionaires, which is one of the most coveted financial achievements.

Who is the First Billionaire Athlete?

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER is the best racer of all time and the first athlete to make a billion dollars. He is also the first athlete to become a billionaire.

What NBA Player is a Billionaire?

Forbes says LeBron James is the first NBA player to make a billion dollars while still playing. LeBron James now has $1 billion in the bank. He made a lot of money and had a very good year.

How Rich is LeBron James in 2022?

Forbes says that LeBron James has a net worth of $1 billion, which puts him in a group of people who are worth $1 billion or more. Forbes says that LeBron James is worth a total of $1 billion. So, LeBron James has been included in the list of highest paid athletes of all time.

Who is the Richest Footballer in the World?

Cristiano Ronaldo. A report said that the Real Madrid star now has a net worth of about €210 million, which makes him the richest football player in the world.