Top 10 Highest-Paid Athletes 2020
It’s not a secret that top athletes, regardless which sport, are some of the highest-paid individuals. Their dedication and obsession to become the best come with a high price, but also with a huge reward for those who succeed. Last year the American business magazine Forbes put together a list of the 100 highest-paid athletes, as of June 2020 and the 12 previous months. Soccer and basketball are obviously the two dominant sports on the list, but still not in position of the first place. See the top 10 highest-paid athletes bellow.
1. Roger Federer - $106.3 million
The swiss tennis legend, Roger Federer, finished at the top with an impressive amount of earnings, $106.3 million. But it’s not mainly thanks to the performances on-court that have helped him reach this position, but the lucrative deals with various brands where the cooperation with the Japanese brand Uniqlo stands out as it's worth $300 million.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo - $105 million
The Juventus star is not only the most followed sportsmen on social media, he’s also the second-highest paid athlete. Cristiano Ronaldo took a slight pay cut as he moved to Juventus from Real Madrid but with a long list of exclusive and lucrative commercial deals the Portuguese has no reason to worry.
3. Lionel Messi - $105 million
Just as they compete against each other on the pitch, Ronaldo and Messi also follow each other on this list. Lionel Messi finds himself just behind his Portuguese opponent on the list of the 10 highest-paid athletes. His contract with FC Barcelona, which is running after the ongoing season, gives the Argentinian an annual salary of $80 million.
4. Neymar - $95.5 million
The third soccer player on this list is Neymar. The Brazilian, playing for PSG in France, is a huge name around the world and has succeed both on and off the pitch by becoming one of the best players and a famous media profile. His five-year contract with the Ligue 1 champions is worth staggering $350 million.
5. LeBron James - $88.2 million
The highest-paid basketball players of them all are not so surprisingly LeBron James. The LA Lakers star has managed to bring home four NBA MVP-trophies and has won the NBA as many times. His lucrative contract with the Lakers along with a dozen of successful investments and other endorsements puts him on 5th place on this list.
6. Stephen Curry - $74.4 million
The 32-year-old point guard playing for the Golden State Warriors has been the highest-paid player in the NBA the past three seasons. Stephen Curry has a number of exclusive sponsor deals with brands like Under Armour, Fanatics and Callaway Golf.
7. Kevin Durant - $63.9 million
Another basketball player on the list as Kevin Durant puts himself on 7th place with his $63.9 million. Durant made three years with the Golden State Warriors before he moved on to the Brooklyn Nets in 2019. He signed a four-year contract worth $164 million and has also invested in more than 20 different companies making him one of the highest-paid basketball players last year.
8. Tiger Woods - $62.3 million
Mostly soccer and basketball players so far but on 8th place the turn has come to golf and Tiger Woods. Even though Woods might have seen his better days on the golf court he’s ranked as one of the best. In his career he’s managed to bring in $1.5 billion, including endorsements, tournament winnings and various sponsorships.
9. Kirk Cousins - $60.5 million
The first American footballer on the list is Kirk Cousins, quarterback playing for the Minnesota Vikings. Cousins joined the Vikings back in 2018 as he signed a deal worth $84 million. In 2020 he extended that deal by two years and received a $30 million signing bonus.
10. Carson Wentz - $59.1
The quarterback who signed for the Philadelphia Eagles back in 2016 is the last man on the list of the 10 highest-paid athletes. In addition to his contract worth $128 million, Wentz also has sponsorship deals with some of the most famous and popular brands. Nike, Amazon and Bose are just some of the companies working together with Carson Wentz.
Author: Dan Anderson
Source: Forbes