Cristiano Ronaldo raked in £208MILLION final yr to prime a brand new record of world’s 100 highest-paid athletes – with 5 footballers and Tyson Fury within the prime 10

Cristiano Ronaldo has topped a list of the top 100 highest earning athletes in sport for the second consecutive year.

The Al-Nassr forward reportedly raked in a staggering £208m during 2024, according to new analysis by Sportico.

Ronaldo’s vast £175million-a-year deal at the Saudi Arabian side catapulted him to the top of the rankings, while the former Man United and Real Madrid star reportedly raked in his remaining earnings via endorsements.

His staggering earnings are further reflected by the 40-year-old reportedly receiving £85m move during 2024 than the second highest athlete on the list.

Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry finished second to Ronaldo, with the analysis deeming him to have earned £123m last year.

Curry, however, topped the list for the most money made from endorsements, receiving £80m to go with his £43m-a-year salary. 

Cristiano Ronaldo was the highest paid athlete in the world for the second successive year

New analysis claimed Ronaldo earned £85m more than NBA star Steph Curry, who was second 

Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk made the top 10 off the back of their two lucrative showdowns

Ronaldo’s status as the highest paid athlete in the world looks set to continue, with reports last month he is set to sign a one-year contract extension would a reported £167.9m. 

Saudi Arabia’s influence of the list is highlighted by Tyson Fury having risen to third place.

The boxer was beaten by Oleksandr Usyk in their two world heavyweight boxing title fights last season in Saudi Arabia, the Gypsy King’s only appearances in the ring in 2024.

Despite the defeats, Fury was reported to have earned £117m during the year with the majority having been accrued by the two fights.

Usyk, who did not feature on the 2023 list, placed seventh in the latest rankings with earnings of £97.7m to go with his heavyweight titles. 

Fury and Usyk had finished second and third highest ranked based solely on salary/winnings, ending only behind Ronaldo.

Half of the top 10 are footballers, with Lionel Messi, Neymar, Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappe joining Ronaldo.

Inter Miami star Messi was reported to have earned £108m, but £60m came via endorsements while £48m was through his salary.

Lionel Messi reportedly earned £108m in 2024, with £60m coming via endorsements

Kylian Mbappe was the ninth highest earning athlete following his move to Real Madrid

Neymar and Benzema were found to have raked in £106m and £92.9m with the pair having been based in Saudi Arabia.

Mbappe earned £88.1m in 2024 with the French star having completed a free transfer to Real Madrid, where he reportedly signed a deal worth £12.8m per season but while scooping a significant signing on fee.

Basketball legend LeBron James and golf star Jon Rahm also feature in the top 10, securing £106m and £84.7m respectively.

Rahm had dropped from second in the 2023 list, with the Spanish golfer having earned a significant fee for signing on the the breakaway LIV Golf tour that year.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is the highest earning NFL player in the list with £80.4m in earnings, while world champion Max Verstappen was the top earner in Formula One with £60.9m.

Verstappen placed 18th on the list, just ahead of rival Lewis Hamilton, who placed 22nd having earned £48.1m.

Shohei Ohtani and Jannik Sinner were the highest earning athletes in baseball and tennis respectively, with £58.1m and £41.9m respectively.

Lewis Hamilton (left) and Max Verstappen (right) were the sole F1 drivers to make the top 100

Tennis star Coco Gauff was the highest earning woman, but failed to make the top 100 in 2024

More basketball players featured on the list than any other sport, with 36 NBA stars listed.

No women made the list for 2024, with Sportico stating that American tennis star Coco Gauff was the highest earner with £24.3m in total.

Erling Haaland was the highest earning Premier League star with £56m, but his earnings are set to soar further having signed a nine-year deal, believed to be one of the most lucrative contracts in football history.

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Man City’s Kevin De Bruyne made the top 100 with earnings of £44m and £31.6m, while England captain Harry Kane received £33.6m.