The Highest-Paid Athletes Of 2022 Are In

Being an athlete takes a lot of work and dedication. After all, it’s not something you can pick up and drop as and when you please. Oh no, you need to work almost every day to ensure your skills are perfect and your stamina is there to keep up with everyone else on the court, pitch, or field.

All of this means that athletes are some of the top-paid people in the world, but who are the highest-paid athletes of 2022? It turns out they come from a range of backgrounds and have come a long way since they first stepped into the limelight. Now, Forbes has released just who is the top of the top.

5. Stephen Curry - $92.8 million

The NBA is filled with a host of memorable names. However, someone who’s riding their high right now is Stephen Curry. From signing one of the biggest deals with the franchise ever in 2017 at over $201 million to earning millions of dollars from his brand and sponsorship deals, nothing can keep him down. In fact, Forbes estimates that Curry earned a staggering $92.8 million in the last twelve months alone.

4. Neymar - $95 million

Getting sponsored by the likes of Epic Games, Qatar Airways, and Puma has all helped to make Neymar the fourth highest-paid athlete of 2022. In fact, some estimate that soccer star Neymar rakes in around 20 million euros (approximately $19.9 million) alone. This is topped off with Neymar’s Paris Saint-Germain and Brazil contracts, where he often shows off his incredible soccer skills for the world to see.

3. Cristiano Ronaldo - $115 million

Representing Nike as one of their leading faces would be enough for Cristiano Ronaldo to make millions of dollars, but why stop there? Cristiano has gone on to sign deals with a host of other bands and currently earns around $45 million a year in sponsorship and brand deals. Right now, Ronaldo plays for Manchester United, meaning the soccer star is Forbes’ third highest-paid athlete of 2022, with a total paycheck of $115 million.

2. LeBron James - $121.2 million

It’s not every day that athletes get lifetime brand deals. Amazingly, that has been the case for LeBron James, as the NBA star has signed deals with Nike and Blaze pizza franchises. CNBC reports that LeBron has made $387 million from his various NBA contracts alongside another $900 million from other ventures. That’s right; LeBron is one of the only athletes who’s been named as a billionaire - alongside Tiger Woods - and earned a whopping $121.2 million in the last 12 months, according to Forbes.

1. Lionel Messi - $130 million

When it comes to the highest-paid athletes of 2022, look no further than Lionel Messi. He has often been named the best soccer player of our time, but that’s not all. Messi signed an endorsement deal in March 2020 that will see him take home $20 million a year from Socios. He has also launched his own clothing line and even has a lifetime deal with Adidas. All of this combined has seen Forbes name Messi as the highest-paid athlete of 2022, earning $130 million in 12 months.

The highest-paid athletes of 2022 are in - and it seems these players are making quite the paycheck. Together, these five have made over half a billion dollars in the last 12 months, but not all of it has come from their sporting talents; they just helped get them the sponsorship deals that pad out their paychecks.