Cristiano Ronaldo is top on Forbes' list of the 10 highest-paid athletes in 2023 amassing on- and off-field earnings of $136 million.
"Ronaldo leads the way with an estimated haul of $136 million, including $46 million from his playing salary and bonuses and $90 million from endorsements, appearances, licensing income and other business endeavors," Forbes said on its website.
Ronaldo, 38, left Manchester United in November for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr in January to augment his revenue.
The football superstar played for his native Portugal in the 2022 FIFA World Cup which was won by Argentina.
Ronaldo, a former Real Madrid, Juventus and Manchester United forward, won local titles with those clubs. He is also a five-time UEFA Champions League winner; four with Real Madrid and one with Manchester United.
Separately, he led Portugal to the UEFA EURO 2016 title. He has a contract with Al-Nassr until 2025.
Lionel Messi is the second highest-paid. Messi earns $130 million. Paris Saint-Germain's (PSG) Argentine superstar Lionel Messi earned $130 million and was second on the list.
Messi, 35, was a longtime Barcelona forward until his move to PSG in 2021.
In December, Messi guided Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title in Qatar, its first World Cup triumph since 1986.
Messi won four UEFA Champions League and 10 Spanish La Liga titles with Barcelona, and claimed a French Ligue 1 title in his first season with PSG.
Messi's teammate at PSG, Kylian Mbappe, comes third with $120 million.the 24-year-old French forward, was third on the list, earning $120 million.
One of the notable forwards, Mbappe won French titles with PSG and Monaco, and won the 2018 World Cup with France.
