Portuguese billionaire footballer Cristiano Ronaldo tops all-time athlete earnings at $2.09 billion

Portuguese billionaire footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has earned more money over his playing career than any other athlete in history, with $2.09 billion in salary, bonuses and endorsement income, according to a Forbes ranking of the highest-paid athletes of all time published on Sunday.

The 41-year-old Al Nassr forward became the first active athlete to pass $2 billion in career earnings this year. His contract with the Saudi Arabian club pays him more than $200 million a year, and he is on course to reach about $2.39 billion within the next year.

Nine athletes have now earned more than $1 billion during their careers. The two newest members are Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry and Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant, who both crossed the mark during the 2025-26 NBA season.

The ranking counts cash income from playing and from business and sponsorship deals across each athlete's professional career through May 1, 2026. The figures are not adjusted for inflation, and taxes and agent fees are not deducted. Money earned after retirement is left out.

Tiger Woods and Lionel Messi follow Ronaldo

Tiger Woods, the American golfer who has won 15 major championships, is second with $1.97 billion. He still earns an estimated $45 million a year away from the course. Argentine forward Lionel Messi, Ronaldo's longtime rival, is third with $1.87 billion. He is expected to make about $145 million this year, helped by revenue-sharing arrangements tied to his club, Inter Miami.

LeBron James, the NBA's all-time leading scorer, is fourth with $1.68 billion. He signed a two-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers in July that pays him about $3.9 million this season. He is expected to collect around $90 million this year from his business interests and partnerships.

Phil Mickelson is fifth with $1.13 billion. The American golfer was one of the first players to leave the PGA Tour for the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series in 2022, after three decades on the tour. Swiss tennis great Roger Federer, who retired in 2022, is sixth with $1.11 billion. He also owns an estimated 3% stake in On, the Swiss running-shoe maker.

Floyd Mayweather, the retired American boxer, ranks seventh with $1.08 billion. His 2015 fight against Manny Pacquiao alone earned him $240 million. Durant is eighth with $1.06 billion. The 38-year-old is playing out a two-year, $90 million contract with Houston.

Curry completes the billion-dollar group with $1.02 billion. In June he signed a deal with Chinese sportswear company Li-Ning that is reportedly worth $400 million over 10 years. Curry and Durant could move past Mayweather, Federer and Mickelson on the list by next spring.

Neymar and Hamilton close in on $1 billion

Brazilian forward Neymar is 10th with about $960 million, and seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton is 11th with about $940 million. Both are expected to pass $1 billion in the coming months. Hamilton earned an estimated $100 million last year, made up of about $70 million from Ferrari and $30 million from personal sponsors.

Six of the nine athletes above $1 billion are American. No woman comes close. Serena Williams, the most successful female earner in sports history, has made an estimated $450 million over her career.

Michael Jordan, the former Chicago Bulls star, does not appear on the list because most of his fortune came after he stopped playing, through his Jordan Brand partnership with Nike and his 2023 sale of a majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets. He earned about $94 million in NBA salary. He topped a separate ranking of all-time athlete earnings in September that includes income earned after retirement.

Mickelson, Federer, Mayweather, Durant and Curry are each estimated to be worth less than $1 billion once taxes, fees and spending are taken into account.

Ronaldo, who became the first footballer with a fortune of more than $1 billion last year, is also in line for a 20% stake in Al Nassr under a proposed takeover of the club led by RedBird Capital Partners, the U.S. investment firm that owns AC Milan.