Everyone knows that being a professional athlete can come with big paychecks, but just who are the highest-paid athletes in the world? From basketball to soccer, tennis to golf, there are athletes from many sports that make the list. But who claims the top spot as the highest paid athlete in the world? I’ve done the research and found the top earners.

Let’s start at number 5, which is Tiger Woods. The famous golfer has been a household name for years and has brought in a fortune through his incredible golfing career. According to Forbes, Tiger Woods made $62.3 million in 2020. While that's an impressive number, it was a drop from his previous years. In fact, his earnings in 2009 were $100 million.

Next up at number 4 is LeBron James, one of the best basketball players of our time. In 2020 he earned $88.2 million, with a large portion coming from endorsements with Nike and PepsiCo. He’s also made significant dollars through his production company and in real estate.

Number 3 is Neymar, the famous Brazilian soccer player. While he hasn’t won a World Cup for Brazil (yet), he has won four major titles in European club soccer. He earned $95.5 million in 2020, with over $40 million coming from endorsements. While he is known for his talent on the pitch, his personality and good looks have helped him make a lot of money off the pitch.

At number 2 is the Swiss tennis player, Roger Federer. The tennis star earned $106.3 million in 2020, despite not playing much that year due to injury. How did he make so much money while not playing? Federer has some of the best endorsement deals in sports, including with major brands like Rolex, Credit Suisse, and Uniqlo.

And finally, at number 1, taking the top spot as the highest-paid athlete in the world is none other than the Portuguese soccer superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo. In 2020 he made a staggering $105 million, which was split between his salary from Juventus and endorsement deals with companies like Nike, Clear Hair Care, and Herbalife. Ronaldo is considered one of the greatest soccer players of all time and has an incredible amount of charisma that has made him extremely popular with fans worldwide.

Conclusion:

It’s clear that being a professional athlete can come with some truly incredible payouts. From soccer to basketball to tennis and golf, the five highest-paid athletes in the world are at the top of their respective sports and are undoubtedly some of the most successful and talented athletes in history. However, while the money often comes as a result of their incredible abilities, it's worth noting that many of these athletes also have strong personalities and well-managed endorsements that help contribute to their incredible net worths. It will be interesting to see who takes the top spot in the coming years and how much they'll make.