Forbes has unveiled its annual list of the 10 highest-paid athletes of the year.The top ten athletes earned around USD 500 million from endorsements, appearances, licensing fees, and cash returns from businesses they operate. Last year, the amount stood at USD 512 million.

• Lionel Messi. He topped the Forbes list with USD 130 million for the second time (the first was in 2019).
• LeBron James, a basketball player, ranked second with USD 121.2 million in earnings. He is the tenth athlete to cross USD 100 million in earnings in a single year.
• Cristiano Ronaldo ranked third with USD 115 million in earnings.