This year, Kylian Mbappé climbs on the third step of the podium of the highest paid sportsmen in the world, an annual ranking signed Forbes, published Tuesday, May 2. The Frenchman made a spectacular leap from 35th to 3rd place, with 120 million dollars in revenue (109 M EUR), on the strength of his contract renewed last year with PSG, which brought him 100 (91 M EUR). ). In addition to this biggest salary in world football, there are 20 million earned off the pitch.
It is Cristiano Ronaldo, with his fabulous contract with the Saudi club Al-Nassr, who is the highest paid sportsman in the world in 2023, with 136 million dollars in income (124 million euros), ahead of Lionel Messi. The 38-year-old Portuguese striker returns to the top spot, having held it in 2016 and 2017.
This return to the top is the direct consequence of his departure from Manchester United for Saudi Arabia in January, as his two contracts combined will earn him this season 46 million dollars (42 M EUR), to which are added 90 (82) from various business partnerships over the past twelve months.
Engaged until 2025 with Al-Nassr, Ronaldo will receive an annual salary of 75 million dollars, estimates the American specialized media which also anticipates "additional marketing opportunities" in this country of which he is now an unofficial sports ambassador.
A role also taken on by Lionel Messi, dislodged from first place despite his 130 million dollars (118 M EUR) in gross income before taxes. The Argentinian is indeed bound by a big contract with the kingdom's tourist office, while playing for Paris SG, a club owned by the rival emirate of Qatar, which has just suspended him for several days after a two-week trip. days in Riyadh without the agreement of its leaders.
The two soccer superstars aren't the only ones to reflect Saudi Arabia's big investments in the sport, as Americans Dustin Johnson ($107m) and Phil Mickelson (106) appear in the top 10 at the sixth and seventh, reaping the dividends of their migration from the PGA Tour to dissident, kingdom-funded LIV Golf.
Just behind Kylian Mbappé, in fourth position, is Lakers superstar basketball player LeBron James, 38, and his $119.5 million in income, of which $75 million (EUR 68 million) is non-sports earnings.
