RANKED: The 20 highest earning athletes of all-time
Barnaby Lane
Michael Jordan has earned $2.05 billion.Getty/Jonathan Daniel
- These are the 20 highest earning athletes of all-time, according to Sportico.
- Earnings include salaries, prize money, bonuses, endorsements, licensing, royalties, and more.
20. Alex Rodriguez - $515 million
Alex Rodriguez.
Justin K. Aller/Getty Images
Sport: Baseball
Nationality: American
19. Manny Pacquiao - $550 million
Manny Pacquiao fights Floyd Mayweather.
Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images
Sport: Boxing
Nationality: Filipino
18. Greg Norman - $555 million
Greg Norman.
Getty/David Cannon
Sport: Golf
Nationality: Australian
17. Lewis Hamilton - $560 million
Lewis Hamilton.
Bryn Lennon/Getty Images and Gary Hershorn/Getty Images
Sport: Formula One
Nationality: English
=15. Kevin Durant - $580 million
Kevin Durant.
Harry How/Getty Images
Sport: Basketball
Nationality: American
=15. Neymar - $580 million
Neymar is still only 29 years old.
Getty/Xavier Laine
Sport: Soccer
Nationality: Brazilian
14. Shaquille O'Neal - $645 million
Shaq.
Kevork Djansezian/Getty
Sport: Basketball
Nationality: American
13. Kobe Bryant - $750 million
Kobe Bryant tragically died in a helicopter crash in January 2020.
AP Photo/Danny Moloshok
Sport: Basketball
Nationality: American
12. Michael Schumacher - $780 million
Michael Schumacher.
Vladimir Rys/Bongarts/Getty Images
Sport: Formula One
Nationality: German
11. Jack Nicklaus - $830 million
Jack Nicklaus.
Getty/Steve Dykes
Sport: Golf
Nationality: American
10. David Beckham - $880 million
David Beckham owns MLS side Inter Miami.
Getty/Miami Herald
Sport: Soccer
Nationality: English
=8. Phil Mickelson - $885 million
Phil Mickelson.
AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman
Sport: Golf
Nationality: American
=8. Arnold Palmer - $885 million
Arnold Palmer passed away in September 2016, aged 87.
Getty/Jamie Squire
Sport: Golf
Nationality: American
7. Roger Federer - $1 billion
Roger Federer.
Getty/Matthew Stockman
Sport: Tennis
Nationality: Swiss
=5. LeBron James - $1.05 billion
Damian Lillard and LeBron James.
Jaime Valdez/USA TODAY Sports/Reuters
Sport: Basketball
Nationality: American
=5. Lionel Messi - $1.05 billion
Lionel Messi left FC Barcelona to join Paris Saint Germain in the summer.
Getty/Lionel Hahn
Sport: Soccer
Nationality: Argentine
4. Floyd Mayweather - $1.08 billion
Floyd Mayweather.
Getty/Al Bello
Sport: Boxing
Nationality: American
3. Cristiano Ronaldo - $1.12 billion
Cristiano Ronaldo is soccer’s highest ever earner.
Getty/Clive Brunskill
Sport: Soccer
Nationality: Portuguese
2. Tiger Woods - $1.66 billion
Tiger Woods.
Getty/Stuart Franklin
Sport: Golf
Nationality: American
1. Michael Jordan - $2.05 billion
Michael Jordan is the richest athlete ever.
Elsa/Getty Images
Sport: Basketball
Nationality: American
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