Naomi Osaka left Roland Garros after officials refused to let her attend the post-match TV show. LeBron James won a championship at Disney World. Lionel Messi tried to leave the only team he has ever met in his professional career. Tom Brady, 43, led the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl title. Very few last year in world sports seemed normal to the world's top athletes - and the surprises spread from the stadiums to their bank accounts.
Even when the pandemic canceled hundreds of sporting events, the 50 highest paid athletes hosted a new record. The footballer with the highest salaries in history. The highest paid NFL player. The woman with the highest pay. Even a record profit for an NBA player, despite the fact that the league significantly reduced salaries for the 2020-21 season with emergency adjustments to the guarantee system. This is due to the fact that much of the money came from sponsorships, not just sports contracts.
In total, these 50 athletes earned nearly $ 2,8 billion in 12 months, up 16% from last year 's top 50 all-time high. Just over $ 1 billion of that came from sponsorship deals and other off-field sponsorships, more than ever.
Conor McGregor ranks No. 1 with $ 180 million after selling his majority stake in Irish whiskey company Proper No. Twelve. Osaka ranks first on the women's side and 12th in the ranking with a total of $ 60 million, breaking the record she set for women just a year ago, when she was No. 29 with $ 37,4 million.
Giannis Antitokoumbo fell one place from last year, from the 18th to the 19th, with his finances seem reduced by $ 600.000.
However, the minimum amount required to enter the list of the 50 richest athletes on the planet has also increased, from $ 28,5 million last year to $ 34 million, the highest ever.
The 50 highest paid athletes on the planet
1. Conor McGregor $ 180M
2. Lionel $ 130M
3. Cristiano $ 120M
4. Dak Prescott $ 107.5M
5. LeBron James $ 96.5M
6. Neymar $ 95M
7. Roger Federer $ 90M
8. Lewis Hamilton $ 82M
9. Tom Brady $ 76M
10. Kevin Durant $ 75M
11. Stephen Curry $ 74.5M
12. Naomi Osaka $ 60M
12. Tiger Woods $ 60M
14. Russell Westbrook $ 59M
15. Patrick Mahomes $ 54.5M
16. James Harden $ 51M
17. David Bakhtiari $ 48.5M
18. Ronnie Stanley $ 47.5M
19. Giannis Antetokounbo $ 47M
20. Dustin Johnson $ 44.5M
20. Clay Thompson $ 44.5M
22. Joey Bosa $ 44M
22. Kyrie Irving $ 44M
24. Jalen Ramsey $ 43.5M
24. Trent Williams $ 43.5M
26. Myles Garrett $ 43M
27. Max Verstappen $ 42.5M
28. Serena Williams $ 41.5M
29. Phil Mickelson $ 41M
30. Damian Lillard $ 40.5M
31. Kylian Mbappe $ 40M
31. Chris Paul $ 40M
33. DeAndre Hopkins $ 39M
33. Leonard Williams $ 39M
35. Jimmy Butler $ 38.5M
36. Marlon Humphrey $ 37.5M
36. Mohamed Salah $ 37.5M
38. Paul George $ 37M
38. Chris Jones $ 37M
40. Anthony Davis $ 36M
40. Aaron Donald $ 36M
40. Matt Judon $ 36M
43. Paul Pogba $ 35.5M
43. Deshaun Watson $ 35.5M
45. Shaquil Barrett $ 35M
46. Novak Djokovic $ 34.5M
46. JJ Watt $ 34.5M
48. Canelo Alvarez $ 34M
48. Andres Iniesta $ 34M
48. Robert Lewandowski $ 34M
Source: Capital.gr