For the first time since 2010, not a single athlete has entered the list of the richest athletes of 2018, which Forbes called "men's business." Tennis star Serena Williams was the only woman to dilute the men's company last year. But now her top priority is daughter Olympia, born in September 2017.
Twitter users pointed to the Forbes list as a prime example of pay inequality in sports.
There are no Russian athletes in the rating either. But who entered the top ten highest paid sports stars.
10. Matthew Stafford (American football)
He earned, including advertising - $ 59.5 million.
In 2017, Stafford signed a $ 135 million five-year contract with a guaranteed $ 60.5 million. He also received a $ 50 million bonus.
The NFL Player is an advertising partner for Nike, PepsiCo and Ford Motors.
9. Matt Ryan (American football)
Income - $ 67.3 million.
Ryan is the first NFL player to make $ 30 million a year. This was made possible by a contract with the Falcons last year. It sets a new record for the American Football League in several ways:
- wages ($ 30 million);
- player value ($ 150 million);
- guaranteed payments ($ 100 million);
- and signing bonuses ($ 46.5 million).
This American footballer has partnerships with Nike, IBM, Mercedes Benz and other well-known brands.
8. Stephen Curry (basketball)
Sports and advertising revenue - $ 76.9 million
The top ten most successful athletes of 2018 are still unfamiliar territory for Curry. This is the first year of his $ 200 million NBA deal, which he signed last offseason.
Brands featured in Curry's advertising contracts include Under Armor, Vivo, and Nissan / Infiniti.
7. Roger Federer (tennis)
Received for sports performances and advertising - 77 million dollars.
The Swiss tennis player has won a huge prize pool of $ 116 million in his career. But even this amount is small compared to the amount he earns from advertising. Deals with Lindt and Mercedes Benz were renewed last year, and Federer also struck a $ 40 million deal with Italian pasta brand Barilla.
In addition, the athlete has partnerships with brands such as Nike, Credit Suisse and Moet & Chandon.
6. LeBron James (basketball)
Income - $ 85.5 million.
The famous NBA player Cleveland Cavaliers has contracts with Nike, Beats, Kia Motors, and more. He is an investor in the fast food chain Blaze Pizza, and his investment group owns 17 franchises.
Collaborating with Nike, LeBron's signature sneakers are the most popular among active NBA players. He also owns production company SpringHill Entertainment and a media company called Uninterrupted. LeBron also owns a 2% stake in English football club Liverpool through his partnership with the Fenway Sports Group.
5. Neymar (football)
Income - $ 90 million.
Club Paris Saint-Germain paid $ 600 million for Brazilian soccer star Neymar to sign a five-year contract with him. $ 250 million of the aforementioned amount was used to free Neymar from his contract with Barcelona, and the remaining $ 350 million will be paid to him in salary for a contract that ends in June 2022.
This made Neymar highest paid footballer of 2018.
Neymar works with brands such as Nike, Red Bull, Gilette, McDonald’s and Beats.
4. Conor McGregor (MMA)
Income for the year - $ 99 million.
This mixed martial artist has never been shy about talking about his love of money. Despite not stepping foot in a cage since November 2016, Conor managed to make $ 100 million from his 10-round extravaganza with boxer Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas. Also, the 29-year-old Irishman has signed advertising contracts with many famous brands - from Burger King to Betsafe and Beats.
3. Cristiano Ronaldo (football)
The combined annual income is $ 108 million.
The football star Cristiano, who shone the brightest in the list of the richest athletes for two whole years, is now gone. It was overshadowed by the first number of the rating. However, this could change next year.
In the meantime, under the current contract with Ronaldo, Spanish club Real will pay him $ 50 million over the next three years. He has a lifetime deal with Nike worth over $ 1 billion, as well as other deals with brands like EA Sports and American Tourister.
Also an athlete who is among the top ten football players with the most powerful blow, produces a range of products (footwear, underwear, perfume, etc.) under the CR7 brand.
2. Lionel Messi (soccer)
Annual earnings - $ 111 million.
This footballer will lead the Argentina national team in the FIFA World Cup, which starts on June 14. With Barcelona, he won numerous trophies and was crowned the best player in the world a record five times.
Messi agreed to renew his contract with Barcelona for the period 2020-2021, which will allow him to receive $ 80 million annually, plus bonuses. He also deals with the brands Gatorade, Huawei, Pepsi, Ooredoo and Hawkers. Messi belongs to one of best goals in football history.
1. Floyd Mayweather (boxing)
Total annual earnings from sports and advertising - $ 285 million.
The American boxer is far ahead of all his rivals in the ranking of the richest athletes, thanks in large part to the highly publicized fight with MMA star Conor McGregor. Mayweather won this fight easily, but McGregor is also not offended by the money, because he also got into the top ten wealthy athletes.
Mayweather applies his fighting skills not only in sports, but also in everyday life. He had several problems with the law due to domestic violence. He was fined $ 2,500 and sentenced to three months in prison after hitting the mother of his three children in 2010.
Mayweather was not one of the highest paid athletes in the world in 2016 or 2017 after his temporary retirement, but he topped the top 10 in 2015.