Cristiano Ronaldo remains the highest-paid athlete in the world, according to the latest list released by Forbes.
Portugal and Al Nassr superstar Ronaldo topped the list of the most well-paid sportspersons for the third consecutive year and the fifth time in his career.
The 40-year-old has climbed to the top of the table following his big money move to the Saudi Pro League. Ronaldo's estimated total earnings now stand at around $275 million, according to Forbes.
According to the list, the Portuguese earned a stunning $225m from his on-field activities while taking home roughly $50m through endorsements.
Ronaldo has expanded his portfolio significantly over the last year, launching a successful YouTube channel with over 75m subscribers and each video having multiple million views. He also partnered with tech company Whoop.
This was the latest positive news to come Ronaldo's way after his son Cristiano Jr received his first call-up to Portugal’s Under-15 squad.
The 14-year-old forward, developing at Al-Nassr's youth academy in Saudi Arabia, has joined Portugal for a tournament in Croatia, facing Japan, Greece and England in his first taste of international football.
If things go to plan, the Ronaldo legacy might get even stronger.
Chasing the Portuguese star in stardom is Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, who in March became the first NBA player to reach 4,000 career three-pointers. He also jumped to second place in the Forbes rankings with $156m in earnings.
Despite losing his world heavyweight titles to Oleksandr Usyk, enigmatic boxer Tyson Fury secured third place with $146m. Fury's income was boosted by partnerships promoting Maltese tourism and a Netflix reality show.
American athletes dominated the list, with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott fourth on $137m following a record-breaking signing bonuses and a lucrative contract extension.
Ronaldo's long-time rival Lionel Messi also features prominently in the annual list. The Argentine dropped to fifth place with $135 million — the same as last year — after his move to Major League Soccer side Inter Miami. One of the biggest contributors to his wealth are high-profile endorsements from Adidas and Apple.
LA Lakers forward and NBA superstar LeBron James came sixth with $133.8m.
Al Ittihad captain and France striker Karim Benzema celebrated a special weekend with eight place in the list, taking home a total earnings of $104m.
On Thursday, Benzema saw his Al Ittihad side clinch the Saudi Pro League title for the 10th time.
Forbes top 10 highest-paid athletes of 2025
1. Cristiano Ronaldo (football) - $275 million (on-field $225m; off-field $50m)
2. Stephen Curry (NBA) - $156m (on-field $56m; off-field $100m)
3. Tyson Fury (boxing) - $146m (on-field $140m; off-field $6m)
4. Dak Prescott (NFL) - $137m (on-field $127m; off-field $10m)
5. Lionel Messi (football) - $135m (on-field $60m; off-field $75m)
6. LeBron James (NBA) - $133.8m (on-field $48.8m; off-field $85m)
7. Juan Soto (MLB) - $114m (on-field $109m; off-field $5m)
8. Karim Benzema (football) - $104m (on-field $100m; off-field $4m)
9. Shohei Ohtani (MLB) - $102.5m (on-field $2.5m; off-field $100m)
10. Kevin Durant (NBA) - $101.4m (on-field $51.4m; off-field $50m)
