In June 2022, a few days after LIV Golf’s inaugural event in London, Jon Rahm spoke to the media at the US Open and was asked his opinion on the fledgling tournament backed by Saudi Arabia. While he saw how LIV could appeal to some players and fans, he told reporters it “wasn’t for him.” Although money was a key factor for many defectors, Rahm added that the astronomical sums LIV offers players would not convince him to leave the PGA Tour.

“Will my lifestyle change if I get $400 million? No, not at all,” said the 29-year-old Spaniard. “Honestly, I could retire right now and with the money I’ve made live a very happy life and never play golf again. I’ve never played golf for financial reasons. I play for the love of the game and I want to playing against the best in the world. I’ve always been interested in history and legacy, and right now the PGA Tour has that.”

In two years, a lot changes. In December, Rahm appeared on Fox News wearing a LIV-branded jacket, confirming that he had become the latest star golfer to retire from the PGA Tour. With that move came a gigantic fee believed to be the largest in LIV’s short history. Rahm reportedly agreed to a fee of $350 million, half of which, according to Forbes estimates, was an upfront fee.

That LIV check was enough to catapult Rahm up the list of the world’s 50 highest-paid athletes, from No. 28 in 2023 to No. 2 this year. The two-time Major winner earned an estimated $218 million over the past 12 months, according to Forbes’ estimate, the most ever earned by a golfer and second on the list only to Cristiano Ronaldo ($260 million).

A decade in the Top Ten

The world’s ten highest-paid athletes earned a combined $1.38 billion before taxes and agent fees over the past 12 months, the highest ever.

LIV Golf is backed by Saudi Arabia’s $925 billion Public Investment Fund (PIF), which owns several teams in the Kingdom’s domestic soccer league, including Ronaldo’s Al Nassr. Global soccer stars Neymar ($108m) and Karim Benzema ($106m) also play for PIF-owned Saudi Arabian Pro League teams, while Lionel Messi ($135m) has endorsed the country as a tourism ambassador.

The numbers have gotten so outrageously high that NBA stars LeBron James ($128.4 million) and Giannis Antetokounmpo ($111 million) joked on social media about… their own deals with Saudi Arabia. Each of the top ten highest-paid athletes in 2024 earned more than $100 million—a first in the history of the Forbes list—beating the previous high of eight athletes in 2023. Combined, the world’s top ten highest-paid athletes earned about $1 .38 billion before taxes and fees in the last 12 months, a 24% drop from last year’s record of $1.11 billion.

Fees from television rights and advertising deals have greatly affected athletes’ incomes for years. LeBron, Antetokounmpo and Stephen Curry have each signed huge NBA contracts and developed advertising “portfolios” that bring in more than $50 million a year. With about $80 million coming from off-court action , LeBron is the most successful in the advertising field among the highest paid athletes in the world.

Rounding out the top ten is Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, with $100.5 million in revenue, although he is significantly less active off the field. Instead, Jackson is among the highest-paid in sports thanks to the five-year, $260 million contract extension he signed in May.

Top-10

1. Cristiano Ronaldo – $260 million

On the field: $200 million | Off the field: $60 million | Nationality: Portuguese | Sports: Football | Age: 39

Ronaldo’s total earnings of $260 million is an all-time record for a soccer player and puts him at No.1 of the world’s highest-paid athletes for the fourth time in his career. His annual salary from Al Nassr football team reaches 200 million dollars. The 39-year-old striker is the top scorer in the Saudo Pro League with 33 goals and won the “Player of the Month” title in August, September, December and March. He also remains valuable to his sponsors, such as cryptocurrency exchange Binance and fitness app Erakulis, thanks to his 629 million followers on Instagram. It also has deals with Nike, Herbalife, Clear Haircare and, most recently, Whoop.

2. Jon Rahm – $218 million

On the field: $198 million | Off the field: $20 million | Nationality: Spanish | Sports: Golf | Age: 29

Rahm’s decision to join LIV Golf last December was extremely lucrative, even apart from the $350 million fee he received to join the Saudi-backed tour. Although the Spaniard has yet to win an LIV event, he has already earned $6.6 million from seven tournaments in 2024, which would put him sixth on the PGA Tour’s official money list for this season (out of 13 May). Rahm was also chosen to captain LIV’s 13th team, Legion XIII, a title that traditionally comes with a 25% equity stake in the league’s franchises.

3. Lionel Messi – $135 million

On the field: $65 million | Off the field: $70 million | Nationality: Argentinian | Sports: Football | Age: 36

Messi’s arrival in Miami was a catalyst for his new team. Inter Miami increased ticket sales, organized a groundbreaking preseason world tour and added a number of lucrative sponsorships, including a partnership with Royal Caribbean, the most valuable jersey advertising deal in MLS history. Forbes estimates that Inter Miami is now the second most valuable team in Major League Soccer at $1.03 billion, and the club expects to grow revenue from $118 million in 2023 to more than $200 million this year. Meanwhile, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has scored 10 goals in his first nine games this year and recently became the first MLS player to record five assists in a game. Off the field, Messi has added Lowe’s to a group of sponsors that includes Adidas, Apple and Konami. He’s also reportedly teaming up with White Claw maker Hard Seltzer to launch his own sports drink this summer.

4. LeBron James – $128.2 million

On the field: $48.2 million | Off the field: $80 million | Nationality: American | Sports: Basketball | Age: 39

James’ future with the Los Angeles Lakers is the subject of much speculation after another disappointing run in the playoffs. The four-time MVP has a $51.4 million option with the team, according to Spotrac, but has also expressed a desire to play with his oldest son, Brony, who declared for the NBA draft. Meanwhile, James will likely make his final Olympic appearance as Team USA aims for gold in Paris this summer. And as he contemplates life after the NBA, James added a partnership with DraftKings in January, joining a slew of celebrities investing in golf’s new business venture, PGA Tour Enterprises.

5. Giannis Antetokounmpo – $111 million

On the field: $46 million | Off the field: $65 million | Nationality: Greek | Sports: Basketball | Age: 29

Antetokounmpo is recovering from a left calf injury at the end of a difficult season for the Milwaukee Bucks star marred by a midseason coaching change that saw his team eliminated from the first round of the playoffs. . Off the court, Giannis Antetokounmpo launched a production company in January, added a partnership with Pepsi’s Starry soft drink in February, and will have his sixth signature sneaker with Nike in late 2024.

6. Kylian Mbappé – $110 million

On the field: $90 million | Off the field: $20 million | Nationality: French | Sports: Football | Age: 25

Mbappé’s impending departure from Paris Saint-Germain will end the French club’s $1.3 billion super-team experiment as the 25-year-old French superstar is expected to fulfill his childhood dream and join the new season at Spanish Real Madrid. Despite the 6 Ligue1 championships he won, the Champions League trophy did not come. Mbappé remains very active outside of football. He created a production company in 2022, which has partnered with the NBA, and has deals with Nike, Hublot and Oakley.

7. Neymar – $108 million

On the field: $80 million | Off the field: $28 million | Nationality: Brazilian | Sports: Football | Age: 32

To be lured to join Saudi Arabian soccer club Al Hilal last year, Neymar reportedly received a lavish package: access to a private jet, luxury cars and a fully furnished mansion. But his football tenure at Al Hilal got off to a bad start. In October, while playing in a World Cup qualifier, the Brazilian star suffered a torn cruciate ligament, ending his season with just five appearances in the Saudi Pro League and AFC Champions League. This did not stop Neymar from signing new advertising deals. After his injury, he added Skims to his portfolio, while partnering with Puma and Fun Brands to create his own range of cocktails and mocktails.

8. Karim Benzema – $106 million

On the field: $100 million | Off the field: $6 million | Nationality: French | Sports: Football | Age: 36

Benzema, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2022, left Real Madrid on a free transfer last year to join Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad. “As a Muslim, when you are in Mecca you feel peace,” he said in an interview, referring to his personal reasons for the move. In his first year at Al Ittihad he was plagued by health issues and therefore returned to the Real Madrid clinic under the supervision of his former doctor in Spain.

9. Stephen Curry – $102 million

On the field: $52 million | Off the field: $50 million | Nationality: American | Sports: Basketball | Age: 36

Curry leads the NBA in three-pointers with 357 this season and has earned a spot on Team USA’s Olympic roster this summer. He’s a force off the court, too, signing a new deal with Under Armor last year that will last until his retirement, when he’ll be paid $75 million in stock that will be paid out in equal installments between 2029 and 2034. Curry is also co-starring in a documentary which will be shown soon.

10. Lamar Jackson – $100.5 million

On the field: $98.5 million | Off the field: $2 million | Nationality: American | Sports: American Football | Age: 27

Lamar Jackson made the top ten thanks to the $72.5 million bonus he received in his new contract with the Baltimore Ravens last year, which he negotiated as his agent. The 27-year-old quarterback won his second NFL MVP award after leading the Ravens to a 13-4 record and the AFC Central Division title. Off the field, Jackson works with Oakley and StatusPro, makers of the virtual reality video game NFL Pro Era. He also owns a number of businesses, including a restaurant, a production company, a record label and a clothing line called Era 8