Ronaldo ranks first on Forbes' list of highest-earning athletes, beating out Curry and Fury; Messi check out the top 10 Athletes

Cristiano Ronaldo has once again claimed the top spot on Forbes’ 2025 list of the world’s highest-paid athletes, beating out NBA star Stephen Curry and boxing champion Tyson Fury. The rankings consider athletes' earnings from salaries, prize money, endorsements, and appearance fees. All of the top 10 athletes on the list earned over $100 million in the past year, with Ronaldo leading at approximately $275 million. This marks his third consecutive year at No. 1.

Stephen Curry secured second place with $156 million, followed by Tyson Fury in third with $146 million. Fury is notably the only non-team sport athlete in the top 10. NFL quarterback Dak Prescott came in fourth with $137 million, making him the only NFL player in the top tier. Soccer legend Lionel Messi rounded out the top five with $135 million.

Other notable names include LeBron James at No. 6 ($133.8 million), MLB star Juan Soto at No. 7 ($114 million), and Karim Benzema in eighth place ($104 million). Shohei Ohtani of the MLB claimed the ninth spot with $102.5 million, and Kevin Durant finished the list at No. 10 with $101.4 million.

Forbes' Top 10 Highest-Paid Athletes for 2025:

1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Soccer): $275M

2. Stephen Curry (NBA): $156M

3. Tyson Fury (Boxing): $146M

4. Dak Prescott (NFL): $137M

5. Lionel Messi (Soccer): $135M

6. LeBron James (NBA): $133.8M

7. Juan Soto (MLB): $114M

8. Karim Benzema (Soccer): $104M

9. Shohei Ohtani (MLB): $102.5M

10. Kevin Durant (NBA): $101.4M