Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo has topped Tuesday's Forbes' list of the 10 highest-paid athletes in 2023, earning an estimated $136 million from on and off-field earnings.
Forbes reported that Ronaldo's salary and bonuses contributed $46 million to his earnings, while his endorsements, appearances, licensing income and other business ventures brought in a whopping $90 million.
The 38-year-old, who left Manchester United for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr in January, remains one of the biggest names in the football industry.
He played for Portugal in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, a tournament which Argentina won.
Ronaldo has played for several prominent football clubs in the past, including Real Madrid, Juventus, and Manchester United and has won numerous local and international titles, including five UEFA Champions League trophies.
He is also a former UEFA EURO 2016 winner and currently holds a contract with Al-Nassr until 2025.
Paris Saint-Germain's Argentine superstar Lionel Messi came in second on the list with earnings of $130 million.
The 35-year-old Messi, who was a longtime forward for Barcelona until his move to PSG in 2021, guided Argentina to victory in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, their first World Cup win since 1986.
He has won four UEFA Champions League titles and ten Spanish La Liga titles with Barcelona and a French Ligue 1 title in his first season with PSG.
Meanwhile, Messi's teammate at PSG, French forward Kylian Mbappe, was third on the list with earnings of $120 million. The 24-year-old has won French titles with PSG and Monaco, as well as the 2018 World Cup with France.
Los Angeles Lakers' basketball superstar LeBron James and Mexican boxer Saul "Canelo" Alvarez rounded out the top five on the list.
James, a four-time NBA champion, earned $119.5 million, while Canelo, who has won 58 of his 62 fights, earned $110 million.
Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer, who retired in 2022, was also included in the top 10 highest-paid athletes list with earnings of $95.1 million.
Federer, a 20-time Grand Slam champion, remains one of the most popular and well-regarded tennis players of all time.
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