Sports

Messi Tops Forbes’ Highest-paid Athlete List For 2022 [Full List]

Published

4 years ago

May 12, 2022

Lionel Messi was the world’s highest-paid athlete over the last year, according to the annual Forbes list released on Wednesday that had the Paris Saint-Germain forward ahead of the NBA’s LeBron James and Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo.

Messi earned $130million (£107m), a figure which includes $55million (£45m) of endorsements, during the 12-month period ended May 1, 2022, to sit atop the list of the 10 highest-paid athletes a year after finishing second to Irish MMA fighter Conor McGregor.

McGregor has now fallen out of the top 10 and hasn’t fought since his defeat by Dustin Poirier last summer, when he broke his leg in the fight, and his earnings have taken a hit as a consequence. He was estimated to have earned £127m last year.

Sir Lewis Hamilton is another notable omission. Last year he was eighth in the list with £58m, a decline of almost half on 2020, and this time around he does not make the top 10 at all.

Messi, meanwhile, left boyhood club Barcelona last summer and headed to France with Paris Saint-Germain.

But an interesting facet of the Forbes report is that he has earned £45m in endorsement.

He has taken on an array of sponsorships outside of football, some of which have been controversial.

Just this week, he was pictured shortly after landing in Saudi Arabia as an ambassador for tourism, despite families of prisoners of conscience in the country urging him earlier this year not to get involved in any partnerships with the nation.

Los Angeles Lakers forward James is second on the list after bringing home a combined $121million (£99m), shattering the $96.5million (£79m) record for an NBA player that he set last year, while Ronaldo earned $115million (£94m) to sit third.

The Portugal captain sealed an emotional return to United last summer, leaving Italian giants Juventus after three seasons. He also turned down a $6m offer to work commercially with Saudi Arabia last year.

His £385,000-a-week wage will fall next season though if he remains at United. The Red Devils have failed to qualify for the lucrative Champions League next season and as Sportsmail reported on the weekend, it means Ronaldo will earn £288,000-a-week at United if he’s there for the 2022-23 season.

Brazil and PSG star Neymar, Messi’s team-mate, ($95million – £78m) and three-time NBA champion Stephen Curry ($92.8million – £76m) of the Golden State Warriors rounded out the top five.

FORBES TOP 10 RICH LIST
1: Lionel Messi – £107m ($130m)

2: LeBron James – £99m ($121m)

3: Cristiano Ronaldo – £94m ($115m)

4: Neymar – £78m ($95m)

5: Stephen Curry – £76m ($92.8m)

6: Kevin Durant – £74.8m ($92m)

7: Roger Federer – £74.4m ($90.7m)

8: Canelo Alvarez – £73.7m ($90m)

9: Tom Brady – £68.7m ($83.9m)

10: Giannis Antetokounmpo – £66.3m ($80.9m)

NBA player Kevin Durant ($92million – £74.8m) was sixth while Swiss tennis great Roger Federer, who played five tournaments in 2021 before a knee operation curtailed his season, was third with total earnings of $90.7million (£74.4m).

There had been fears that those knee issues could force Federer, who is now 40, into retirement.

While he is yet to play in 2022, he shared pictures from the gym on his Instagram account last month with the caption ‘rehab is rockingggg’.

The final three spots on the list went to Mexican boxer Canelo Alvarez ($90million – £73.7m), seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady ($83.9million – £68.7m) and reigning NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo ($80.9million – £66.3m).

Alvarez was surprisingly beaten by Dmitry Bivol at the weekend, the first loss of his career, but defeated Billy Joe Saunders last May in a hotly anticipated showdown.

Brady, 44, announced his NFL retirement earlier this year, only to change his mind and agree to one more season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

While the details of Brady’s 2022 deal with the Bucs is unclear, last year’s terms saw him earn in the region of $25m.

Forbes said its on-the-field earnings figures include all prize money, salaries and bonuses earned during the 12-month period while off-field earnings are an estimate of sponsorship deals, appearance fees and licensing income.

PUNCH.

Sports

EPL: Rooney Names Team To Win Title

Published

2 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

Former Manchester United striker, Wayne Rooney, has said Arsenal will go on to win the Premier League title, after Manchester City dropped points against Everton.

City were held to a 3-3 draw at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Monday night.

The result means Pep Guardiola’s men are now five points behind Arsenal, but they have one game in hand.

Rooney believes the Gunners will beat West Ham this weekend and go on to be champions.

He said on BBC Sport: “No, I’m concerned for West Ham. I just think Arsenal are efficient and professional.

“I just think they will win every game. So obviously, with the result tonight, that means they will win the league.”

Sports

UCL, EPL: Petr Cech Advises Chelsea On How To Win Trophies

Published

1 day ago

May 4, 2026

Editor

Chelsea legend, Petr Cech, has advised his old club on how to win the UEFA Champions League or the English Premier League.

Chelsea are already out of the Premier League title race this season, and they are at risk of missing out on UEFA Champions League qualification for next season because they are currently not in the ninth position on the Premier League table.

Speaking to The Athletic about Chelsea, Cech said that the Blues need to change their philosophy of signing only young players if they want to win the Premier League or Champions League.

According to the former goalkeeper, the Premier League west London club needs to add experienced players to mentor the young players in the squad.

“You have to look at what you want to achieve. You can have young, talented players, and you can win, but it’s very rare that you manage to do that,” he said.

“If you want to win every season and compete every season, that does not go together.

“You have to change your philosophy. Certain things don’t go together because, in order to win a Champions League or a Premier League… these are really tough competitions, and you have to be consistent.

“You need to have a strong core of the team. And then you can bring young, talented players who will grow faster and then will be held by the experienced players to help navigate them through difficult times when they come.”

Currently, Chelsea have just one player, Tosin Adarabioyo, who is over 28 this season, and the defender has not been playing regularly.

Sports

Enabulele Lauds Okpebholo’s Bold Reforms As Edo Sports Witnesses Revival

Published

5 days ago

April 30, 2026

Editor

The Executive Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele, has commended Governor Monday Okpebholo for what he described as a bold and transformative approach to sports development.

Speaking on efforts to reposition sports in the state, Enabulele noted that with Okpebholo’s visionary leadership, the sector has witnessed renewed growth.

In a statement issued by his Media Officer, Edoko Wilson Edoko, the Edo Sports Commission boss attributed the progress to the governor’s strategic policies and sustained commitment to youth development, which he said have laid the foundation for a more structured and results-driven system.

“His Excellency has demonstrated clear vision and genuine commitment to sports development. The level of support we are receiving has significantly repositioned Edo as a competitive force in national sporting events,” he said.

He explained that targeted investments in grassroots development are already producing results, with a growing number of young talents being identified and nurtured across multiple disciplines.

“We are deliberately building from the grassroots. A large percentage of our athletes today are homegrown, which speaks to the sustainability of our development model,” Enabulele added.

The Commission, he noted, is also shifting away from an over-reliance on football to a broader multi-sport focus.

Edo State, he said, is now recording improved performances in athletics, combat sports, and other emerging areas.

“Our goal is to strengthen all sports. The results are beginning to show across different disciplines, and this is only the start,” he said.

Enabulele further pointed to ongoing improvements in sports infrastructure and athlete welfare as critical factors in sustaining performance and encouraging wider participation among young people.

“We are building a system that will endure. With the continued support of the governor, Edo is on course to becoming a dominant force in sports at both national and international levels,” he stated.

He expressed confidence that the current momentum would translate into greater achievements for Edo athletes, reaffirming the Commission’s commitment to excellence, discipline, and long-term development.