LeBron James, Ronaldo, Messi Makes Forbes List Of Highest Paid Athletes Of The Decade (Full List)

Forbes List Of Highest Paid Athletes

American business magazine, Forbes has released its list of top 10 highest-paid athletes of the decade.

The ranking looks at the athletes’ salaries, prize money, bonuses, endorsements, appearance fees, and licensing income.

The top 10 for the decade, which includes a pair from boxing, soccer, basketball, and golf, collectively made $6.1 billion.

The Forbes list also excluded earnings for athletes during their retirement years, keeping NBA stars like Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan out of the top 10.

Serena Williams is the only woman among the 40 highest-paid athletes of the decade, earning $215 million.

Check out the athletes that made the list.

#10 Lewis Hamilton: $400 million

The six-time F1 World Champion is the most marketable athlete in the sport and commands the biggest paycheck.

#9 Kevin Durant: $425 million

Durant’s annual earnings from his salary and endorsements jumped 400% during the course of the decade.

#8 Manny Pacquiao: $435 million

Pacquiao’s 25 pay-per-view fights have generated 20 million buys and an estimated $1.3 billion in revenue.

#7 Phil Mickelson: $480 million

Mickelson nabbed the biggest paycheck of his career in 2018 when he defeated his longtime rival Woods in an exhibition for a $9 million purse.

#6 Tiger Woods: $615 million

Tiger averaged only 10 PGA Tour events per year during the 2010s, but his endorsement earnings for the decade were tops among athletes.

#5 Roger Federer: $640 million

Federer, 38, is on the back end of his tennis career, but his earnings will stay high on the back of a 10-year, $300 million deal with Uniqlo inked in 2018.

#4 LeBron James: $680 million

James has made more than twice as much from endorsements during his first 16 years in the NBA, compared to his $270 million in playing salary.

#3 Lionel Messi: $750 million

Messi’s 2019 playing salary for Barcelona is the highest of any athlete across all team sports.

#2 Cristiano Ronaldo: $800 million

Ronaldo’s endorsement partners benefit from his massive Instagram and Facebook followings, which both rank as the biggest of any person on the planet.

#1 Floyd Mayweather: $915 million

Mayweather pocketed more than $500 million combined for his 2015 and 2017 fights versus Manny Pacquiao and Conor McGregor.