Lionel Messi is often considered today's best soccer player. The five times winner of the FIFA Player of the Year award, Messi's contract is loaded with bonuses that bring him high pay.
Philip Alfred Mickelson, an American professional golfer, has won 43 events on the PGA Tour and five major championships. Mickelson holds huge endorsement deals with companies like Barclays and Workday.
Despite retiring five years ago, the England captain and former Manchester United star still have the highest revenue. Beckham has turned to fashion, food and drink, entertainment, etc., and continues to reap the rewards.
Winner of four Balon D'Or awards, Ronaldo is one of the most famous athletes with over 450 million social media followers, which lands him many sponsorships, like Nike and Monster headphones.
Mayweather is one of the greatest boxers of all time, and his success in the ring has made him the richest boxer of all time.
Earvin "Magic" Johnson is an American former basketball player. He has won 5 NBA championships and 3 Most Valuable Player awards. Magic retired in 1996 and became a co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers team in 2012.
Federer has endorsements and sponsorships with brands like Rolex and Mercedes-Benz. In addition, he signed a 10-year deal with the brand Uniqlo worth $300 million.
LeBron James—18-time NBA All-Star, four-time NBA champion, and two-time Olympic gold medalist. He has also earned this astounding wealth through endorsement deals, including Nike and Coca-Cola.
Tiger was known as the best golfer in the world during his prime. He has won the U.S. Open Championship, the British Open, and the Masters. Tiger has earned more than $1.4 billion since turning pro in 1996 and became the first billionaire sportsman.
Jordan is known as the best basketball player of all time, with a 6-time NBA championship. He has held a record sponsorship deal with Nike for many years and owns the Charlotte Hornets team since 2010.