Ronaldo beat Messi, Lebron James plus odas to top Forbes list as highest paid athlete for di 4th time

Cristiano Ronaldo don top di Forbes list of highest-paid athletes for di fourth time for im career, as Spanish golfer, Jon Rahm move up to second.

Ronaldo bin also dey on top di list last year afta im record-breaking move to di Saudi Arabian football club Al Nassr.

According to Forbes business magazine, di 39-year-old Portugal striker earn $260m ova di last 12 months, higher dan di $136m im bin earn di previous year.

Asides from im great footballing talent, Ronaldo also get a massive fan base - ova 850 million followers across Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter), more dan any oda athlete in di world, and dis na major reasons why brands dey rush am,

Ronaldo rival Lionel Messi, wey bin dey second last year, fall to di third position.

Rahm jump up to second place afta e switch from di Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) to di Saudi-funded LIV Golf tour, and e dey reported to don earn $218m dis year.

Neymar and Karim Benzema also enta di top 10 highest paid athletes afta dem also move to di Saudi Pro League.

Basketball star Giannis Antetokounmpo dey number five, with im fellow basketballers, LeBron James (fourth) and Stephen Curry (ninth) wey also dey di list.

Di last na American football quarterback Lamar Jackson, wey earn just a little above $100m 20for 24.

Collectively, di 10 highest-paid athletes for di world earn a total of $1.38 billion before taxes and agents fees for di past 12 months, and dis na di highest total ever, Forbes tok.

Top 10 highest paid athletes for di world in 2024


*Cristiano Ronaldo - Football - $260m

*Jon Rahm - Golf - $218m

*Lionel Messi - Football - $135m

* Lebron James - Basketball - $128.2m

*Giannis Antetokounmpo - Basketball - $111m

*Kylian Mbappe - Football - $110m

*Neymar- Football - $108m

* Karim Benzema - Football - $106m

*Stephen Curry - Basketball - $102m

*Lamar Jackson - American Football - $100.5m