Sports

List of 100 highest-paid athletes features no woman

$100 million club includes boxer Oleksandr Usyk, soccer players Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, Karim Benzema

By Reuters

February 13, 2025

Coco Gauff of the US reacts during a match against Emma Navarro of the US in Wimbledon at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain, on July 7, 2024. — Reuters

The list of world’s 100 highest-earning athletes features no woman, it emerged on Wednesday after Sportico named top such athletes.

With $30.4 million, US tennis player Coco Gauff was the highest-paid female athlete in 2024, but she fell over $7 million short of the $37.5 million threshold needed to be in the top 100.

Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo sits atop the global rankings for the second straight year with $260 million in earnings, including $215 million from his Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr and $45 million off the field.

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry is a distant second at $153.8 million, with boxer Tyson Fury ($147 million), Inter Miami soccer great Lionel Messi ($135 million) and Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James ($133.2 million) rounding out the top five.

Al Nassrs Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring third goal for Al Nassr in the match against Al Fayah in Saudi Pro League on February 7, 2025. — Reuters — Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring third goal for Al Nassr in the match against Al Fayah in Saudi Pro League on February 7, 2025. — Reuters

The $100 million club also includes boxer Oleksandr Usyk, soccer players Neymar, Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappe, golfers Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler, and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.

NFL quarterback Daniel Jones, who played for the New York Giants and later signed with the Minnesota Vikings last season, was No. 100 at $37.5 million.

Overall, the top 100 raked in $6.2 billion — a 14% increase from last year. Athletes from eight sports and 27 countries made the list.