Cristiano Ronaldo tops £223M earnings list

Forbes published its 2026 list of the world’s highest-paid athletes on May 22, with Cristiano Ronaldo ranked No. 1 after estimated earnings of $300 million over the past 12 months. The list, which circulated widely on X over the weekend, placed boxer Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez second at $170 million, followed by Lionel Messi at $140 million, LeBron James at $137.8 million and Shohei Ohtani at $127.6 million. Forbes said the figures cover on-field and off-field earnings before taxes and agent fees. The magazine said the top 10 athletes combined for $1.4 billion. ### Where did the £223 million figure for Ronaldo come from? Cristiano Ronaldo’s total in the Forbes ranking was published in U.S. dollars, not pounds. Forbes listed Ronaldo at $300 million, and social posts that showed him at about £223 million appear to be currency conversions of that dollar figure. Forbes said Ronaldo, now 41, topped the ranking for the fourth straight year. The publication said his earnings were driven by his Al-Nassr contract in Saudi Arabia and off-field business and endorsement income. ### Did the social post get the order right? Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez was listed second by Forbes, and Lionel Messi, LeBron James and Shohei Ohtani rounded out the top five in that order. The social post’s sequence matched the published Forbes ranking, even though the post used pound-denominated figures rather than the dollar amounts in the original list. Forbes’ published top five were Ronaldo at $300 million, Álvarez at $170 million, Messi at $140 million, James at $137.8 million and Ohtani at $127.6 million. Other reports citing the Forbes release, including USA Today and Bleacher Report, matched those placements. ### Why are the numbers on X lower than the Forbes totals? Forbes reported the athletes’ earnings in dollars, while the X post used pound figures. A conversion from $300 million to pounds produces a lower nominal number, which is why Ronaldo appeared at roughly £223 million rather than $300 million. The same pattern applies to the rest of the top five. Álvarez’s $170 million becomes roughly £126 million, Messi’s $140 million becomes about £104 million, James’ $137.8 million becomes about £103 million and Ohtani’s $127.6 million becomes about £95 million, based on prevailing exchange rates used by the social post. ### What does Forbes count in these rankings? Forbes said its estimates include salaries, bonuses, prize money, endorsements, licensing income, appearance fees and other business earnings. The publication said the totals are measured before taxes and agent fees. Forbes also said every athlete in this year’s top 10 made at least $100 million. The magazine reported that the 2026 top 10 total was slightly above 2025’s combined haul. ### Who else made the 2026 top 10? Stephen Curry was sixth in the Forbes ranking at $124.7 million. Jon Rahm was seventh at $107 million, Karim Benzema eighth at $104 million, Kevin Durant ninth at $103.8 million and Lewis Hamilton tenth at $100 million, according to Forbes. Forbes said Ronaldo first led its highest-paid athletes list a decade ago and has now returned to the top again after what it described as a record year. The full 2026 ranking, including the top 50 and Forbes’ methodology note, is posted on the publication’s athletes list page.