The Argentine star Lionel Messi, from Paris Saint-Germain, heads for the second time the list of the highest paid athletes in the world with estimated earnings of 130 million dollars (124.8 million euros) in the last year, as has published
Forbes
magazine .
The 34-year-old footballer relieves Irishman Conor McGregor, a mixed martial arts figure, at the top of the list, who topped the ranking a year ago with 180 million dollars (almost 173 million euros).
The table of 10 characters – in a few weeks the total of 50 will be known – does not include any women at the moment.
Messi was already at the top of this table in 2019. The Argentine reached this figure despite the fact that his salary was reduced to 75 million dollars at PSG (72 million euros), some 22 million less than his previous contract with FC Barcelona.
However, the increase in his income from sponsorships to 55 million (almost 53, in euros) allowed him to equal the annual earnings record for a footballer, which Messi himself achieved last year when he was second on the list after McGregor.
In 2020, Messi's total fortune was estimated at around 400 million euros.
His investments focus mainly on the real estate market, with acquisitions in Barcelona, Girona or his native Rosario.
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The second position of the
current
Forbes
ranking
is occupied by LeBron James, the superstar of the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA, with 121.2 million dollars (116.3 million euros), and the third is the Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester forward United, with 115 million (110.4, in euros).
Despite his disappointing campaign with the Lakers,
King James
broke the previous earnings record for an NBA player that he himself had set last year with 92.6 million euros.
His income off the court (77 million euros) practically doubled his salary with the Lakers (39.6 million euros)
The top 5 of the list is completed by the Brazilian Neymar (PSG), with 95 million dollars (91.2 million euros) and the American basketball player Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors) with 92.8 million (89 million euros). euros).
Sixth appears the American Kevin Durant (92.1 million dollars; 88.4 million euros), star of the Brooklyn Nets of the NBA;
and behind the veteran Swiss tennis player Roger Federer with 90.7 million (87 million euros), of which just 0.7 million (about 672,000 euros) come from his results on the court, diminished in recent years by numerous injuries.
Mexican boxer Canelo Álvarez is in eighth place with 90 million dollars (86.4 million euros), of which 85 million (81.6) were earned for his victories in the ring.
The ranking is completed by Tom Brady (83.9 million; 80.5 million euros), leader of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and NFL star;
and the Greek Giannis Antetokounmpo (80.9 million dollars; 77.6 in euros), champion last year in the NBA with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Together, these ten athletes pocketed 992 million dollars in the last 12 months (almost 952 million euros), the third highest figure since
Forbes
estimates began , after 1,060 million in 2018 and 1,050 in 2021. Volume in 2021 was boosted by McGregor's sale of the Proper No. Twelve whiskey brand, which brought him an estimated $150 million.
The Irishman came out of the top 10 this year but will appear in the complete ranking of 50 athletes that the publication will release at the end of May.
