World’s Highest-Paid Athletes 2019
Table of Contents
Forbes Top 10 World’s Highest-Paid Athletes 2019
Forbes has released the world’s top 100 highest paid athletes list. In Top 10 world’s top 100 highest paid athletes list, Lionel Messi leads the chart with a total of $127 million USD in annual earnings followed by Cristiano Ronaldo with $109 million USD and Brazilian Football star Neymar is on 3rd position with $105 million USD.
Boxer Canelo Alvarez and tennis legend Roger Federer are sitting at numbers four and five respectively.
Russell Wilson is officially the NFL‘s most valuable player and 2019’s highest-paid American athlete. Aaron Rodgers fall just below his fellow league player, ranking at number seven. LeBron James is the third highest-paid American athlete just behind Wilson and Rodgers with $89 million USD at 8th position right above the Steph Curry (9th) and Kevin Durant (10th).
- Lionel Messi – $127 million USD
- Cristiano Ronaldo – $109 million USD
- Neymar – $105 million USD
- Canelo Alvarez – $94 million USD
- Roger Federer – $93.4 million USD
- Russell Wilson – $89.5 million USD
- Aaron Rodgers – $89.3 million USD
- LeBron James – $89 million USD
- Steph Curry – $79.8 million USD
- Kevin Durant – $65.4 million USD
Top 100 World’s Highest-Paid Athletes List Shared by Forbes – Complete List
Virat Kohli is the only Indian in Forbes 2019 list of world’s highest-paid athletes at 100 position and American tennis superstar Serena Williams is the only Women in Top 100 list at 63rd position. View complete list of top 100 world’s highest-paid athletes list below –
| Rank | Name | Sport | Pay | Salary/Winnings | Endorsements |
| #1 | Lionel Messi | Soccer | $127 M | $92 M | $35 M |
| #2 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Soccer | $109 M | $65 M | $44 M |
| #3 | Neymar | Soccer | $105 M | $75 M | $30 M |
| #4 | Canelo Alvarez | Boxing | $94 M | $92 M | $2 M |
| #5 | Roger Federer | Tennis | $93.4 M | $7.4 M | $86 M |
| #6 | Russell Wilson | Football | $89.5 M | $80.5 M | $9 M |
| #7 | Aaron Rodgers | Football | $89.3 M | $80.3 M | $9 M |
| #8 | LeBron James | Basketball | $89 M | $36 M | $53 M |
| #9 | Stephen Curry | Basketball | $79.8 M | $37.8 M | $42 M |
| #10 | Kevin Durant | Basketball | $65.4 M | $30.4 M | $35 M |
| #11 | Tiger Woods | Golf | $63.9 M | $9.9 M | $54 M |
| #12 | Ben Roethlisberger | Football | $55.5 M | $54.5 M | $1 M |
| #13 | Lewis Hamilton | Auto Racing | $55 M | $45 M | $10 M |
| #13 | Anthony Joshua | Boxing | $55 M | $45 M | $10 M |
| #13 | Khalil Mack | Football | $55 M | $54 M | $1 M |
| #16 | Russell Westbrook | Basketball | $53.7 M | $35.7 M | $18 M |
| #17 | Novak Djokovic | Tennis | $50.6 M | $20.6 M | $30 M |
| #17 | Mike Trout | Baseball | $50.6 M | $47.6 M | $3 M |
| #19 | Phil Mickelson | Golf | $48.4 M | $12.4 M | $36 M |
| #20 | James Harden | Basketball | $47.7 M | $30.7 M | $17 M |
| #21 | Conor McGregor | Mixed Martial Arts | $47 M | $32 M | $15 M |
| #22 | DeMarcus Lawrence | Football | $46.9 M | $46.8 M | $150 K |
| #23 | Bryce Harper | Baseball | $44.5 M | $38 M | $6.5 M |
| #24 | Chris Paul | Basketball | $43.8 M | $35.8 M | $8 M |
| #25 | Kyrie Irving | Basketball | $43.3 M | $20.3 M | $23 M |
| #26 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Basketball | $43.2 M | $24.2 M | $19 M |
| #27 | Drew Brees | Football | $42.4 M | $26.4 M | $16 M |
| #28 | Aaron Donald | Football | $41.4 M | $40.9 M | $500 K |
| #29 | Damian Lillard | Basketball | $41.1 M | $28.1 M | $13 M |
| #30 | Sebastian Vettel | Auto Racing | $40.3 M | $40 M | $300 K |
| #31 | Blake Griffin | Basketball | $39.1 M | $32.1 M | $7 M |
| #32 | Rory McIlroy | Golf | $39 M | $8 M | $31 M |
| #33 | Paul George | Basketball | $38.6 M | $30.6 M | $8 M |
| #34 | Brandin Cooks | Football | $38 M | $37.5 M | $500 K |
| #35 | Kei Nishikori | Tennis | $37.3 M | $4.3 M | $33 M |
| #36 | Nick Foles | Football | $35.8 M | $33.8 M | $2 M |
| #37 | Rafael Nadal | Tennis | $35 M | $9 M | $26 M |
| #38 | Manny Machado | Baseball | $34.8 M | $34.3 M | $500 K |
| #39 | Anthony Davis | Basketball | $34.6 M | $25.6 M | $9 M |
| #40 | Gordon Hayward | Basketball | $34.3 M | $31.3 M | $3 M |
| #40 | Klay Thompson | Basketball | $34.3 M | $19.3 M | $15 M |
| #42 | Carmelo Anthony | Basketball | $34 M | $28 M | $6 M |
| #43 | Kyle Lowry | Basketball | $33.8 M | $32.3 M | $1.5 M |
| #44 | Paul Pogba | Soccer | $33 M | $29 M | $4 M |
| #45 | DeMar DeRozan | Basketball | $32.8 M | $27.8 M | $5 M |
| #46 | Andres Iniesta | Soccer | $32.5 M | $30 M | $2.5 M |
| #47 | Justin Rose | Golf | $32.4 M | $18.4 M | $14 M |
| #48 | Joel Embiid | Basketball | $32.1 M | $25.6 M | $6.5 M |
| #49 | Al Horford | Basketball | $32 M | $29 M | $3 M |
| #50 | David Price | Baseball | $31.7 M | $30.7 M | $950 K |
| #51 | Mike Conley, Jr. | Basketball | $31.5 M | $30.5 M | $1 M |
| #52 | Jordan Spieth | Golf | $31.1 M | $2.1 M | $29 M |
| #53 | Alexis Sánchez | Soccer | $30.8 M | $28.3 M | $2.5 M |
| #54 | Clayton Kershaw | Baseball | $30.7 M | $30 M | $700 K |
| #55 | Kylian Mbappe | Soccer | $30.6 M | $26.6 M | $4 M |
| #56 | Deontay Wilder | Boxing | $30.5 M | $30 M | $500 K |
| #57 | Trey Flowers | Football | $30.2 M | $30 M | $250 K |
| #57 | Mesut Ozil | Soccer | $30.2 M | $23.7 M | $6.5 M |
| #59 | Paul Millsap | Basketball | $30.1 M | $29.6 M | $500 K |
| #60 | Matt Ryan | Football | $29.8 M | $24.8 M | $5 M |
| #61 | Justin Verlander | Baseball | $29.5 M | $28.5 M | $1 M |
| #62 | Yoenis Cespedes | Baseball | $29.4 M | $29 M | $400 K |
| #63 | Miguel Cabrera | Baseball | $29.2 M | $28.7 M | $500 K |
| #63 | Serena Williams | Tennis | $29.2 M | $4.2 M | $25 M |
| #65 | Geno Atkins | Football | $29.1 M | $29 M | $75 K |
| #66 | Oscar | Soccer | $29 M | $27 M | $2 M |
| #66 | Earl Thomas | Football | $29 M | $28.5 M | $500 K |
| #68 | Jake Arrieta | Baseball | $28.8 M | $28.3 M | $500 K |
| #68 | C.J. McCollum | Basketball | $28.8 M | $25.8 M | $3 M |
| #70 | Kawhi Leonard | Basketball | $28.7 M | $23.2 M | $5.5 M |
| #71 | Kevin Love | Basketball | $28.4 M | $24.4 M | $4 M |
| #72 | Justin Houston | Football | $28.2 M | $28 M | $200 K |
| #73 | Albert Pujols | Baseball | $28 M | $27.3 M | $700 K |
| #74 | Dwight Howard | Basketball | $27.8 M | $24.3 M | $3.5 M |
| #75 | Antoine Griezmann | Soccer | $27.7 M | $23.2 M | $4.5 M |
| #76 | Jrue Holiday | Basketball | $27.6 M | $27.1 M | $500 K |
| #77 | Giancarlo Stanton | Baseball | $27.4 M | $25.4 M | $2 M |
| #78 | Steven Adams | Basketball | $27.2 M | $24.2 M | $3 M |
| #79 | Gareth Bale | Soccer | $27.1 M | $20.6 M | $6.5 M |
| #79 | Bradley Beal | Basketball | $27.1 M | $25.6 M | $1.5 M |
| #81 | Tom Brady | Football | $27 M | $15 M | $12 M |
| #82 | Andrew Luck | Football | $26.9 M | $24.1 M | $2.8 M |
| #82 | C.J. Mosley | Football | $26.9 M | $26.7 M | $150 K |
| #84 | Felix Hernandez | Baseball | $26.6 M | $26.3 M | $300 K |
| #85 | Odell Beckham, Jr. | Football | $26.5 M | $21.5 M | $5 M |
| #85 | Otto Porter, Jr. | Basketball | $26.5 M | $26 M | $500 K |
| #87 | Andre Drummond | Basketball | $26.4 M | $25.4 M | $1 M |
| #88 | Harrison Barnes | Basketball | $26.3 M | $24.8 M | $1.5 M |
| #89 | Nikola Jokic | Basketball | $26.2 M | $25.5 M | $750 K |
| #89 | Hassan Whiteside | Basketball | $26.2 M | $25.4 M | $750 K |
| #91 | Andrew Wiggins | Basketball | $26.1 M | $25.5 M | $600 K |
| #92 | Manny Pacquiao | Boxing | $26 M | $24 M | $2 M |
| #93 | Saquon Barkley | Football | $25.8 M | $21.3 M | $4.5 M |
| #94 | J.D. Martinez | Baseball | $25.6 M | $24.9 M | $700 K |
| #95 | Gennady Golovkin | Boxing | $25.5 M | $23 M | $2.5 M |
| #96 | Joey Votto | Baseball | $25.4 M | $25.1 M | $300 K |
| #97 | Jon Lester | Baseball | $25.3 M | $25 M | $300 K |
| #98 | Marc Gasol | Basketball | $25.1 M | $24.1 M | $1 M |
| #98 | Mohamed Salah | Soccer | $25.1 M | $16.1 M | $9 M |
| #100 | Virat Kohli | Cricket | $25 M | $4 M | $21 M |
