Athletes today are earning eye-watering sums, from record-breaking football contracts to billion-dollar brand deals. In total, the 100 highest-paid athletes made a combined £4.97 billion last year alone.
It’s easy to assume current global stars like Cristiano Ronaldo or Tiger Woods would sit at the top of the all-time earnings chart. But defying expectations, it’s former basketball player Michael Jordan, who still reigns supreme.
According to a new Sportico report, the NBA legend who retired 22 years ago, earned £240 million in 2024 alone. This brings his total career earnings to an astonishing £2.4 billion, or £3.32 billion when adjusted for inflation.
Jordan’s enduring financial dominance comes not from his playing days alone, but from the unmatched success of the Jordan Brand, a global juggernaut in sneakers and apparel under Nike that continues to generate hundreds of millions annually.
Behind him on the list is Tiger Woods, whose total career haul stands at £1.53 billion (£2.24 billion adjusted for inflation).
Despite playing just 12 competitive rounds in 2024 and parting ways with Nike after 27 years, Woods remains a marketing magnet with his new Sun Day Red brand.
Next comes Cristiano Ronaldo, still playing at age 40 and raking in £1.46 billion (£1.78 billion with inflation), followed by LeBron James and Lionel Messi, who have earned £1.19 billion and £1.19 billion respectively (£1.5 billion and £1.85 billion with inflation).
Surprisingly, golf greats Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus also cracked the top 10 thanks to inflation-adjusted earnings of £1.45 billion and £1.4 billion, despite most of their careers playing out before modern sports marketing exploded.
