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Cristiano Ronaldo earned $260 millions in 2024 as the highest-paid athlete. No female athletes were included in the top 100.
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Cristiano Ronaldo dominates 2024 earnings, leaving rivals far behind
Ronaldo, who is 40, continues to set the standard for longevity in football. He has earned an amazing $215 million in salary and winnings from Al-Nassr as well as with Portugal’s national team. The endorsements he received off the field added an additional $45 million to his total, which put him in first place by a considerable margin.
Ronaldo is the first player in 2023 to reach 900 goals. He is also joined by Neymar Benzema in the top 10. Both players made lucrative moves to Saudi Pro League.
Coming in second, NBA superstar Steph Curry earned an estimated $153.8 million, with a significant portion—$100 million—coming from endorsements. Curry was a major part of Team USA’s 2024 gold medal winning at the Paris Olympics, despite the Golden State Warriors’ struggles.
Tyson Fury of the United Kingdom ranked third with $147.6 million. Lionel Messi was close behind at $135.8 million thanks to his $75 million worth of endorsements since moving to Inter Miami. LeBron’s $133.2-million earnings for the year were enough to round out the top five despite the struggles of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Dak Prescott, the Dallas Cowboys quarterback, was the highest earning NFL player in the 12th position with $100.4 millions. Jalen Hults of the Philadelphia Eagles who won the Super Bowl ranked 65th in this list with $46.1million.
The top 100 athletes earned $6.2 billion in total. $4.8 billion was from prize money and salaries, and $1.4 billion from endorsements and sponsor deals.
No women among the top 100 athletes in 2024: The gap between men and women’s pay in sport remains large
The earnings of male sportsmen are soaring, but not one female athlete has made it to the top. US tennis star Coco Gaff, the highest-paid female athlete in 2024, earned $30,4 million. This was largely due to her French Open doubles title and WTA Finals individual title. To compare, NFL quarterback Daniel Jones earned $37.5 millions, ranking 100th on the list.
Gauff made history by becoming the youngest Olympic flag-bearer in Team USA’s history and as the first tennis player ever to carry the American Flag. The absence of women from the top 100 raises questions about the gender pay gap in professional sports despite the growing audience and sponsorship deals in women’s competitions.
As sponsorship and TV deals continue to evolve, the hope is that future rankings will reflect a more balanced playing field—but for now, the gap remains as wide as ever.
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