Cristiano Ronaldo tops world’s highest-paid athlete list in 2025, Canelo jumps to 2nd ahead of Lionel Messi

Football saw 13 players in the top 10. Other than Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, Karim Benzema is sixth, earning USD 115 million

Cristiano Ronaldo has maintained his position as the world's highest-paid athlete, ahead of second-placed Saul Canelo Alvarez and Lionel Messi (third). Mexican boxer Alvarez overtook several superstars like Messi to climb to second position. In 2025, he had a high-profile fight against American boxer Terence Crawford. Although he fell to a defeat, the guaranteed purse from the bout sent him to second position.

Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo in action. (REUTERS)

Meanwhile, Messi surged to third from fourth spot, only behind Canelo and Ronaldo. Dominican baseball ace Juan Soto recently bagged a huge contract with the New York Mets and is in fourth place. Soto's rise has sent LeBron James down to fifth place. James is the highest-ranked American athlete on the list.

Soto earned USD 129.2 million last year, 95 per cent of which came from his playing contract. This contract also included an MLB-record USD 75 million signing bonus as part of the 15-year, USD 765 million free-agent deal he signed with the New York Mets.

This is also Ronaldo's third straight year on top, with an estimated USD 260 million in 2025 earnings, including USD 200 million from Al Nassr and USD 60 million off the field.

Football saw 13 players in the top 10. Other than Ronaldo and Messi, Karim Benzema is sixth, earning USD 115 million, Riyad Mahrez is 45th with USD 53.5 million, and Sadio Mane is 52nd with USD 51 million. They are all part of the Saudi Pro League.

Top-ten highest-paid athletes of 2025

1. Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal, football, USD 260 million
2. Canelo Álvarez, Mexico, boxing, USD 137 million
3. Lionel Messi, Argentina, football, USD 130 million
4. Juan Soto, Dominican Republic, baseball, USD 129.2 million
5. LeBron James, United States, basketball, USD 128.7 million
6. Karim Benzema, France, football, USD 115 million
7. Stephen Curry, United States, basketball, USD 105.4 million
8. Shohei Ohtani, Japan, baseball, USD 102.5 million
9. Kevin Durant, United States, basketball, USD 100.8 million
10. Jon Rahm, Spain, golf, USD 100.7 million