Every May, Forbes publishes its much‑watched audit of athlete pay, tallying on‑field earnings and off‑field endorsements over the preceding 12 months. The 2025 edition shows just how far the earnings ceiling has climbed: the top 50 athletes amassed a record $4.23 billion before taxes and agents’ fees. Footballers continue to cash jaw‑dropping cheques from Saudi Arabia and Major League Soccer, while U.S. stars exploit the explosive growth of media rights and brand deals. Below, we count down the ten biggest winners of the past year, starting with number 10.
10 – Kevin Durant (Basketball, Phoenix Suns) — $101.4 million
Salary/Winnings: $51.4 m Endorsements: $50 m. Durant’s two‑time NBA‑champion résumé underpins a portfolio of equity stakes—from cannabis to tech—that now rivals his Nike lifetime deal.
9 – Shohei Ohtani (Baseball, Los Angeles Dodgers) — $102.5 million
Salary/Winnings: $2.5 m Endorsements: $100 m. The two‑way phenomenon deferred almost all of his record $700 m Dodgers salary, but brands from Boss to Fanatics made him baseball’s richest pitch‑and‑hit star.
8 – Karim Benzema (Football, Al Ittihad) — $104 million
Salary/Winnings: $100 m Endorsements: $4 m. A Saudi Pro League salary four times his Real Madrid take sparked the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner’s first appearance in the top ten.
7 – Juan Soto (Baseball, New York Mets) — $114 million
Salary/Winnings: $109 m Endorsements: $5 m. Soto’s 15‑year, $765 m megadeal dwarfs A‑Rod’s once‑unthinkable contract and makes the 26‑year‑old the richest hitter of his generation.
6 – LeBron James (Basketball, Los Angeles Lakers) — $133.8 million
Salary/Winnings: $48.8 m Endorsements: $85 m. The NBA’s career scoring king turns 41 in December yet remains a marketing juggernaut thanks to SpringHill, Fenway Sports Group equity and a Nike lifetime pact.
5 – Lionel Messi (Football, Inter Miami CF) — $135 million
Salary/Winnings: $60 m Endorsements: $75 m. MLS salary + Apple TV rev‑share + Adidas bonuses = another nine‑figure haul for the eight‑time Ballon d’Or maestro.
4 – Dak Prescott (American Football, Dallas Cowboys) — $137 million
Salary/Winnings: $127 m Endorsements: $10 m. The NFL’s most marketable quarterback front‑loaded his latest extension, pocketing a hefty signing bonus that vaults him into rare financial air.
3 – Tyson Fury (Boxing) — $146 million
Salary/Winnings: $140 m Endorsements: $6 m. Even after surrendering his belts, “The Gypsy King” banked monster purses in Saudi Arabia and parlayed a Netflix reality series into fresh sponsorship income.
2 – Stephen Curry (Basketball, Golden State Warriors) — $156 million
Salary/Winnings: $56 m Endorsements: $100 m. On the court he crossed 4,000 career three‑pointers; off it, his Under Armour “Curry Brand” and NBC golf series keep the cash registers ringing.
1 – Cristiano Ronaldo (Football, Al Nassr) — $275 million
Salary/Winnings: $225 m Endorsements: $50 m. Three straight years atop the earnings summit. A $200 m+ Saudi salary plus worldwide sponsorships—and 939 million social followers—make CR7 a one‑man economy.
