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Top 100 Richest Sportsmen In The World (2023)

Ideally, the list of the richest sportsmen should not include former athletes who have gone on to engage in other things such as business. They could get a mention among the richest businessmen, or the richest of anything else.

This list should be for sportsmen who are still active in their various fields; and whose primary source of income is the sport they engage in.

This is a way of celebrating their talent and consistency; which are both necessary ingredients for the kind of success that brings such wealth.

Top 100 Richest Sportsmen In The World

1. Vince McMahon

Net Worth: $2.2 billion

Vincent Kennedy McMahon is the Chairman and CEO of WWE; which is the biggest brand in wrestling entertainment. There is no reason why he should not be a billionaire; and it looks likely that his wealth will increase even more as the brand continues to grow.

He still makes the occasional ring appearance which is for the show more than anything else. Wrestling is more of a show than a sport; but as long as it continues to be listed as a sport, then Vince McMahon will continue to be listed as arguably the richest sportsman alive.

2. Tiger Woods

Net Worth: $1.1 billion

If golf is considered a rich man’s sport then Tiger Woods is the king of the rich men. In a sport that has less marketing value than football, American Football and basketball, Eldrick Tiger Woods has made a mountain of money.

To be fair; he is the best the sport has ever seen; he has won more accolades, and contributed more to the sport than anyone else; and so it is only natural that he be given more endorsements than it is common for Golfers.

When he retires; Golf as a sport may suffer somewhat because it has been his face projecting the sport to the world for the last two decades or there about.

3. Anna Kasprzak

Net Worth: $1 billion

Anna Kasprzak of Denmark is a Dressage rider. Many people don’t even know what Dressage is; but it is a kind of horse riding that is done for show and applause. It is an Olympic sport; and while it is not the most popular; it is one that can give the participants plenty of trophies.

It has certainly given Anna Kasprzak plenty of trophies, and the trophies come with prize monies, and then comes the endorsements.

Anna Kasprzak has made her fortune through a combination of winnings and endorsement deals.

4. Lebron James

Net Worth: 1 Billion

Lebron James is an American basket baller; the top pick of his generation. He has shone consistently over the years, and won more accolades than any player still active. Furthermore, he has scored more points in the NBA than anyone else. In fact, he has edged the great Michael Jordan to this record.

His talent was noticed quite early; and those with inside knowledge of the sport favored him to become one of the greatest ever that the game has ever seen. He did not disappoint; he has achieved all the accolades needed to seal his place in history. In return, he has been rewarded with more money than anyone thought possible.

5. Lionel Messi

Net Worth: $600 million

Still talking about players whose talent were spotted early; Lionel Messi was spotted playing on the grounds of Santa Fe in Argentina. He even had a genetic condition that inhibited his growth. Nevertheless, Football Club Barcelona in Spain took him in, and groomed him- the result was massive.

Lionel Messi spent 20 years with the club, and became their all time leading goal scorer. He also won everything that a player could hope to win; and he even got a record number of Balon d’Ors.

Lionel Messi could have possibly made even more money if he had the mind to leave Barcelona earlier; but he stayed loyal to the club that came to his aid and groomed him into someone of note.

6. Cristiano Ronaldo

Net Worth: $500 Million

For the last 20 years it has been difficult to mention Lionel Messi without mentioning Cristiano Ronaldo- he has given Messi a run for his money; challenging him for every accolade. Cristiano is the highest goal scorer in the Champions League, and he is also the highest goal scorer for clubs with over 700 club goals.

Cristiano Ronaldo has made more money through endorsements; he has been the face of the Champions League for too many years, and has amassed a fortune advertising for brands like Binance, Armani, Herbalife, and PokerStars.

7. Tom Brady

Net Worth: $500 Million

Tom Brady has been the most valuable player in the NFL for a number of years. He has been rock solid as a player; and the face of the game. Some have even said he was the reason why they bothered to watch the league in the first place.

He has now retired but we do not believe him because this is not the first time he has made an announcement about retiring.

Whether or not he comes back to the field, he is certainly the highest earner in the history of the sport. It is important to note that most of his earnings have come from endorsements rather than the actual running on the field.

8. Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Net Worth: $500 Million

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is an American boxer who still steps into the ring as a trainer.  His father too is a boxing legend- the great Floyd Mayweather.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is one of the few boxers to have an unbeaten record throughout his career. He is quite skillful; but perhaps the most important aspect of his character is his aggressive nature. He is very domineering in the ring, and most times that is what makes the difference.

9. Phil Mikelson

Net Worth: $400 Million

Phil Mikelson is worth around 400 million which he has earned from endorsements more than anything else. Phil has been consistent as a top golfer, and has the accolades to show for it. Phil Mikelson has been one of the notable golfers who have been in contention for every top honor in the sport, year after year.

This consistency has attracted all the big name brands to identify with him; and this is what has made him so rich.

10. Roger Federer

Net Worth: $400 million

Roger Federer the crème of the tennis profession for around 20 years, Roger Federer is an elite tennis player who has been a dominant force in his sport over the years, and has won plenty of accolades to show for his effort.

Roger Federer has also earned a heft amount for his work, and for his contributions to the sport. As with most superstars; the money actually comes from endorsement deals.

The following is a more extensive compilation of the top 100 richest sportsmen in the world.

Position Name Net worth Country Sport
1 Vince McMahon 2.2 billion United States Wrestling
2 Tiger Woods 1.4 Billion United States Golf
3 Lebron James 1 Billion United States Basketball
4 Lionel Messi $600 million Argentina Football
5 Cristiano Ronaldo $500 Million Portugal Football
6 Tom Brady $500 Million United States American Football
7 Floyd Mayweather Jr. $500 Million United States Boxing
8 Phil Mickelson $400 Million United States Golf
9 Roger Federer $400 Million Switzerland Tennis
10 Kevin Durant 300 million United States Basketball
11 Alex Rodriguez $300 Million United states
12 Greg Norman $300 Million Australia
13 Jack Nicklaus $280 Million United states
14 Lewis Hamilton $280 Million United kingdom Formula 1
15 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. $225 Million United states
16 Paul Caddick $225 Million United kingdom
17 Novak Djokovic $230 million Tennis
18 Rafael Nadal $220 Million Spain Tennis
19 Dave Whelan $210 Million United kingdom
20 Ken Block $200 Million United states
21 Connor McGregor $200 Million Ireland Mixed Martial Arts
22 Kimi Raikkonen $200 Million Formula 1
23 Wayne Gretzky $200 Million Canada
24 Neymar $200 Million Brazil Football
25 John Madden $200 Million United states
26 Bob Arum $200 Million United states
27 Fernando Alonso $200 Million Spain
28 Russell Westbrook $200 million United states Basketball
29 Oscar De La Hoya $200 Million United states Boxing
30 Peyton Manning $200 Million United states
31 Richard Childress $200 Million United states
32 Maria Sharapova $195 Million United states Tennis
33 Manny Pacquiao $190 Million Filipino Boxing
34 Zlatan Ibrahimovic 190 Million Sweden Football
35 Derek Jeter $185 Million United states
36 Kevin Garnett $180 Million United states
37 Grant Hill $180 Million United states
38 Tim Duncan $177 Million United states
39 Tripple H 170 Million United states Wrestling
40 Toni Kross 170 million Germany Football
41 Dirk Nowitzki $170 Million Germany Basketball
42 Serena Williams $170 Million United states Tennis
43 Andy Murray $165 Million Tennis
44 Johnny Dumfries $165 Million United kingdom
45 James Harden 165 Million United states
46 Sabathia $155 Million United states
47 Jeff Gordon $150 Million United states
48 Pete Sampras $150 Million United states
49 Mario Lemieux $150 Million Canada
50 Paul Pogba 150 million France
51 Gareth Bale $150 Million United states Football
52 Kylian Mbappe $150 Million French Football
53 Romelu Lukaku $150 Million Belgium Football
54 Alexandre Pato $145 Million Brazil Football
55 Chris Webber $143.4 Million United states
56 Albert Pujols $140 Million United states
57 Ryan Howard $140 Million United states
58 Gilbert Arenas $135 Million United states
59 Gary Payton $130 Million United states
60 Novak Djokovic $130 Million
61 Drew Brees $130 Million United states
62 Lance Armstrong $125 Million United states Cycling
63 Adrian Beltre $125 Million
64 Miguel Cabrera $125 Million
65 Valentino Rossi $120 Million Italy
66 Eden Hazard $100 million Belgian Football
67 Mohammed Salah $100 Million Egyptian Football
68 Usain Bolt $100 Million Jamaican Football
69 Venus Williams $100 Million American Football
70 Robert Lewandoski 85 Million Poland Football
71 David de Gea 75 million Spanish Football
72 Jordi Alba 70 million Spanish Football
73 Luka Modric 80 Million Croatian Football
74 Karim Benzema 80 Million French Football
75 Gerard Pique 70 Million Spanish Football
76 Kevin De Bryune 65 Million Belgian Football
77 Deshaun Watson 65 million American NFL
78 Kyler Murray 45 million American NFL
79 Lamar Jackson 40 million American NFL
80 Jalen Hurts 35 million American NFL
81 Russell Wilson 165 million American NFL
82 Aaron Rodgers 200 million American NFL
83 Ronnie Stanley 100 million American NFL
84 Denzel Ward 71 million American NFL
85 Myles Garrett 50 million American NFL
86 Daron Payne $60.02 million American NFL
87 Aaron Donald $60 million American NFL
88 Chris Jones $60 million American NFL
89 Dexter Lawrence $60 million American NFL
90 Naomi Osaka $51 million Japanese Tennis
91 Roquan Smith $60 million American NFL
92 Derwin James Jr. $42 million American NFL
93 Jack Grealish 30 million American NFL
94 John Stones 30 million England Football
95 Phil Foden 27 million England Football
96 Kyle Walker 25 million England Football
97 Ilkay Gündogan 25 million Germany football
98 Harry Maguire 25 million England Football
99 Kante 20 million France Football
100 Olivier Giroud 20 million France Football

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Closing

The richest sportsmen in the world is perhaps the most inclusive rich list that one can find anywhere in the world; it includes people from all corners of the globe. Another important consideration is that these players often make the bulk of their money from endorsements-after proving themselves in their various sports, of course.

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