Richest sports people in the world: Top 10 wealthiest individuals in sport ranked as Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi and Beckham don't even make top five

For many of the world’s most recognisable sporting figures, the fortune amassed from playing their chosen game is only the beginning, with most pursuing endorsements and business ventures to secure long-term wealth.

This feature explores the wealthiest athletes across the globe, highlighting how each has built empires that stretch far beyond the pitch, court or ring.

The ranking considers more than wages, prize purses or career earnings, instead focusing on overall net worth by evaluating assets and investments to give a broader picture of financial power.

Promoters and agents are not included in this compilation, and neither are individuals whose fortunes came through inheritance.

From Cristiano Ronaldo’s sprawling global brand to Michael Jordan’s legendary sneaker legacy, the countdown of the 10 richest sports icons in the world reveals who stands tallest in the financial arena.

Top 10 richest sports people in the world

10 – Shaquille O’Neal

Estimated wealth: $500m to $600m

Sport: Basketball

Major achievements: 4x NBA champion, Olympic gold medallist, NBA Hall of Fame

Shaquille O’Neal may be one of the most popular faces in basketball, but he was once one of the most dominant players in the NBA.

O’Neal won four championships, claimed three Finals MVP awards and was also a 15-time NBA All-Star.

The American superstar has become a global icon thanks to his big personality, incredible charisma and media savvy attitude.

O’Neal was able to accumulate serious wealth, not only through his various NBA salaries, but mainly thanks to partnerships and business ventures.

The NBA titan has invested in global companies such as Google, Ring, Papa John’s and Five Guys, while also starting his own Big Chicken restaurant chain.

With all his deals and businesses combined, O’Neal boasts an impressive net worth of over $500m.

9 – David Beckham

Estimated wealth: $600m to $700m

Sport: Soccer

Major achievements: 6x Premier League champion, first Englishman to win league titles in four countries, first England player to score at three World Cups

David Beckham may not necessarily go down as one of the greatest ever talents, but he is one of football’s most recognisable individuals.

Beckham not only made his mark in the Premier League with Manchester United, but he also enjoyed tremendous success abroad, becoming the first Englishman to win league titles in four different countries.

The former England captain reached celebrity status thanks to his marriage to former Spice Girl and model Victoria Beckham – something that helped him become a cultural and fashion icon.

Attractive to brands, Beckham was able to secure a number of lucrative endorsement deals, including a lifetime contract with Adidas.

Beckham’s business empire includes ownership of MLS side Inter Miami, investments in Haig Club whisky, and content company Studio 99. Through all his ventures, the Englishman boasts an estimated net worth of $600m to $700m.

8 – Lionel Messi

Estimated wealth: $700m to $800m

Sport: Soccer

Major achievements: 8x Ballon D’Or winner, 4x Champions League winner, World Cup winner

Lionel Messi is regarded by many as the greatest footballer of all time following a career of unprecedented success.

Famous for his dribbling, goalscoring and unprecedented playmaking, Messi has won the Ballon d’Or a record eight times, the Champions League four times, and also the World Cup back in 2022.

Messi’s global impact is nothing short of extraordinary, and it has certainly contributed to his growing wealth, which currently stands at an estimated $700m to $800m.

Substantial salaries from Barcelona, PSG and Inter Miami made the Argentinian wealthy, but it is his endorsement deals which have taken his net worth to another level.

Messi has a lifetime contract with Adidas, which runs alongside other partnerships with PepsiCo, Apple and Lay’s.

The forward also boasts a number of business investments, which include real estate and hotels.

7 – Floyd Mayweather

Estimated wealth: $700m to $1bn

Sport: Boxing

Major achievements: Retired with an undefeated record, 15x world champion across five weight divisions

Floyd Mayweather enjoyed unparalleled success in the boxing ring, winning 15 major world titles across five weight divisions and retiring with an undefeated 50-0 professional record.

As well as taking part in a number of blockbuster fights, Mayweather is also responsible for changing the financial landscape of boxing.

The boxer drew record pay-per-view buys for his fights with Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao, and Conor McGregor, while becoming a mainstream celebrity away from the ring.

While Mayweather earned a huge amount of money from fight purses, it is his business ventures which have bolstered his net worth close to the $1bn mark.

6 – Cristiano Ronaldo

Estimated wealth: $800m to $1bn

Sport: Soccer

Major achievements: 5x Ballon D’Or winner, 5x Champions League winner, European Championship winner

Cristiano Ronaldo will go down as one of the greatest footballers ever, though he is also widely regarded as the most famous sports people on the planet.

Ronaldo has played for the biggest clubs in the world, including Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus, claiming a host of domestic and continental honours.

The forward has also enjoyed international success, taking Portugal to a European Championship title and two UEFA Nations League crowns.

Away from the field, Ronaldo has built immense wealth through a series of brand deals and his CR7 brand, which covers industries such as clothing and hospitality.

The Portuguese star has a lifetime deal with Nike, while his personal brand continues to boost his coffers. When you couple all that with his massive earnings, Ronaldo’s net worth is estimated to be between $800m and $1bn.

5 – LeBron James

Estimated wealth: $1bn to $1.2bn

Sport: Basketball

Major achievements: 4x NBA champion, 4x NBA most valuable player, NBA’s leading points scorer, 3x Olympic champion

Touted as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, LeBron James dominated basketball for the last two decades, becoming the all-time leading point scorer.

James has won four NBA championships, four Finals MVP awards, and has also secured three Olympic gold medals with Team USA.

His success on the court and the global impact that came with it have helped the American generate an estimated net worth of over $1bn.

James made a lot of money through NBA salaries, but the bulk of his fortune comes from endorsement deals and business ventures.

The basketball icon signed a lifetime deal with Nike, which is said to be worth over $1bn alone, while he also holds significant stakes in brands like Blaze Pizza and the Fenway Sports Group – an organisation which owns the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool FC.

4 – Tiger Woods

Estimated wealth: $1.3bn

Sport: Golf

Major achievements: 15x major winner, 82x PGA Tour titles, most consecutive (281) and cumulative (683) weeks atop the world rankings

Tiger Woods is not only one of the greatest golfers of all time, but the American will go down as the man who revolutionised the sport and brought it back into the mainstream.

Woods won a total of 15 major titles and is tied for the most PGA Tour wins with 82 to his name. He also made history by holding all four major titles simultaneously during the 2000-2001 period, famously dubbed as the ‘Tiger Slam’.

Through his talent and diverse background, Woods drew record television ratings for golf, attracting new types of fans and making the sport trendy.

While the American earned over $120m through prize money, it is his highly lucrative endorsement deals and various business ventures which have helped him accumulate a net worth of around $1.3bn.

Woods has been involved with Nike for a significant chunk of his career, raking in over $500m from that one deal alone. Partnerships with the likes of TaylorMade, Bridgestone, and Rolex have also contributed to his immense wealth.

3 – Roger Federer

Estimated wealth: $1.3bn

Sport: Tennis

Major achievements: 20x Grand Slam winner, 6x Tour Finals winner, Olympic gold medallist, 103x career titles

Widely regarded as the greatest tennis player of all time, Roger Federer enjoyed one of the most iconic sporting careers ever, winning 20 Grand Slam singles titles – including eight of them at Wimbledon.

Federer was ranked as the number one tennis player in the world for 310 weeks, with a record of 237 consecutive weeks.

The Swiss superstar also claimed an impressive haul of six ATP Tour Finals titles, as well as Olympic gold in 2008.

Federer’s popularity and clean image made him attractive for global brands, leading him to sign lucrative endorsement partnerships with the likes of Rolex and Mercedes-Benz. The tennis icon also signed a mega $300m contract with Uniqlo.

His early investment in Swiss running shoe company ‘On’ is also reaping serious rewards, with the company now valued at over $500m. Endorsement deals coupled with his ownership stake in ‘On’ and years of prize money from tennis have left Federer with a net worth of around $1.3bn.

2 – Magic Johnson

Estimated wealth: $1.8bn

Sport: Basketball

Major achievements: 5x NBA champion, 3x NBA most valuable player, Olympic champion

Magic Johnson enjoyed an illustrious career in the NBA, leading the Los Angeles Lakers to five championships during the iconic ‘Showtime’ era.

Johnson not only claimed three NBA MVP awards and 12 NBA All-Star appearances, but he was also part of the 1992 ‘Dream Team’ that won Olympic gold.

The basketball star became a global advocate for HIV/AIDS awareness after publicly announcing he was HIV-positive back in 1991.

Johnson made a lot of money from his NBA salary, but he continued to build his wealth through a variety of business ventures, including Starbucks franchises, real estate and his majority ownership of life insurance company EquiTrust.

His enterprise is further supplemented with ownership stakes in the Los Angeles Dodgers, Washington Commanders, Los Angeles Sparks and LAFC. This leaves him with an estimated net worth of $1.5bn.

1 – Michael Jordan

Estimated wealth: $3.5bn

Sport: Basketball

Major achievements: 6x NBA champion, 5x NBA most valuable player, 2x Olympic champion

Michael Jordan is widely considered to be the greatest basketball player of all time, leading Chicago Bulls to six NBA titles during the 1990s.

Jordan’s achievements also include five MVP awards as well as two Olympic gold medals – including the famous Dream Team of 1992.

While he did earn a lot of money through his NBA salary, Jordan accumulated most of his wealth from a historic partnership with Nike – a deal which was turned into a 2023 movie Air.

The Air Jordan partnership with Nike was a game changer for sports marketing, helping to popularise basketball across the world.

The Jordan Brand continues to generate an absolute fortune for the former basketball star, currently leaving him with a net worth of around $3.5bn.