​Cristiano Ronaldo Leads Forbes Rich List as Canelo and Lionel Messi Follow Behind

Cristiano Ronaldo once again topped Forbes’ list of the world’s highest-paid athletes in 2026, continuing his dominance for a fourth consecutive year. The global football icon reportedly earned around $300 million during the year, placing him comfortably ahead of every other athlete on the rankings. His massive income came from both football contracts and lucrative commercial partnerships across the world.
Mexican boxing superstar Canelo Álvarez secured second place on the list despite experiencing mixed results inside the ring. The 35-year-old earned approximately $170 million in 2025, with most of the figure generated through fight purses. Sponsorship agreements and business ventures also contributed to his impressive financial success, helping him remain one of the most marketable athletes in combat sports.
Although Canelo suffered a major defeat against Terence Crawford in the battle for the undisputed super middleweight championship, he still managed to stay highly active throughout the year. Earlier in the season, he defeated William Scull by unanimous decision before later undergoing elbow surgery. Canelo is now preparing for his return to the ring in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he is expected to challenge Christian Mbilli for the WBC super middleweight title.
Another boxer featured on the Forbes rankings was Jake Paul, who landed in 23rd place with reported earnings of $70 million. Paul experienced a difficult season after splitting his two major fights of the year. He defeated Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. but later suffered a knockout loss against Anthony Joshua. Since then, the social media star turned boxer has been recovering from a broken jaw while targeting a comeback in early 2027.
Several other global sports icons completed the top five of Forbes’ annual rankings. Lionel Messi secured another spot among the highest earners with estimated income of $140 million, followed closely by LeBron James and Japanese baseball sensation Shohei Ohtani. Their continued presence on the list reflected not only their sporting achievements but also their enormous influence in global marketing and entertainment industries.