# Sport-Ronaldo tops Forbes’ highest-paid athletes list in 2023 after Saudi move Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2023-05-03 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: Cristiano Ronaldo Tops Forbes' Highest-Paid Athletes Meta Description: Discover how Cristiano Ronaldo became the world's highest-paid athlete after joining Saudi soccer club Al-Nassr, with PSG stars Lionel Messi and Kylian URL: https://financedigest.com/sport-ronaldo-tops-forbes-highest-paid-athletes-list-in-2023-after-saudi-movehtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2023-05-02t185736z3lynxmpej410r7rtroptp4soccer-saudi-ana-ett-report-1736814077149-compressed.jpg) # Sport-Ronaldo tops Forbes’ highest-paid athletes list in 2023 after Saudi move (Reuters) – Cristiano Ronaldo became the world’s highest-paid athlete after his move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr nearly doubled his annual playing salary while Paris St Germain duo Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe round off the top three, according to Forbes. Ronaldo, who joined the Saudi soccer club on a deal until 2025 after leaving Manchester United last year, earned $136 million with Forbes saying his annual playing salary went up to an estimated $75 million. Ronaldo’s contract has been estimated by media to be worth more than 200 million euros ($219.98 million). PSG forward Messi, 35, was next on the list after bringing [home a combined $130 million while club team](https://www.financedigest.com/keeping-your-team-connected-and-beating-work-from-home-fatigue-in-lockdown.html "Keeping your team connected and beating work from home fatigue in lockdown") mate and France captain Mbappe — the youngest on the list at 24 — earned $120 million to sit third. PSG are owned by Qatar [Sports Investments](https://www.financedigest.com/american-igaming-and-sports-betting-is-on-the-rise-with-new-investments-and-regulations-2022-predictions.html "American iGaming and Sports Betting is on the rise with new investments and regulations – 2022 predictions"). [Los Angeles](https://www.financedigest.com/patsnap-circumnavigates-northern-hemisphere-with-launch-of-los-angeles-office.html "PatSnap circumnavigates northern hemisphere with launch of Los Angeles office") Lakers player and NBA great LeBron James ($119.5 million) and Mexican boxer Canelo Alvarez ($110 million) rounded out the top five. [Last year](https://www.financedigest.com/over-50-of-businesses-increased-their-cyber-security-budget-last-year-amid-attacks.html "Over 50% of businesses increased their cyber security budget last year amid attacks") also saw the advent of LIV Golf, the breakaway tour that has lured away some of the U.S.-based PGA Tour’s [top players with huge](https://www.financedigest.com/title-interventional-pulmonology-market-shows-huge-demand-and-future-scope-including-top-players-2031.html "Interventional Pulmonology Market Shows Huge Demand and Future Scope Including Top Players 2031") sums of money, and two of its golfers make the top 10. Former world number one Dustin Johnson (sixth with $107 million) made the [biggest gain](https://www.financedigest.com/dollar-steadies-near-16-week-low-yuan-set-for-biggest-weekly-gain-since-2005.html "Dollar steadies near 16-week low, yuan set for biggest weekly gain since 2005") after making the controversial switch to LIV Golf having not even made the cut for the top 50 in 2022 while he was joined by fellow LIV golfer Phil Mickelson (seventh with $106 million). Four-times NBA champion Stephen Curry ($100.4 million) and Phoenix Suns’ Kevin Durant ($89.1 million) are the other two basketball players on the list. Former tennis ace Roger Federer ($95.1 million) is the only retired [player in the top](https://www.financedigest.com/cardiac-valvulotome-market-growth-latest-trends-top-players-competition-technological-advancements-outlook-and-forecast-2028-2.html "Cardiac Valvulotome Market Growth, Latest Trends, Top Players, Competition, Technological Advancements, Outlook and Forecast 2028") 10. Forbes said its on-field earnings figures include all prize money, salaries and bonuses earned in the last 12 months while off-field earnings are an estimate of [sponsorship deals](https://www.financedigest.com/soccer-nike-ends-sponsorship-deal-with-spartak-moscow.html "Soccer-Nike ends sponsorship deal with Spartak Moscow"), appearance fees, licensing income and cash returns from businesses they operate. ($1 = 0.9092 euros) (Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---