When it comes to the world of sports, do you have a favorite team and/or player? Most of us do. Also, I will bet that you have thought, I wonder how much money they get paid? The amount may be staggering.
Forbes magazine is out with its annual list of the Top 10 Highest Paid Athletes. Before you check the list, if you add up just what the top 10 athletes are paid, the total would be well over $1 billion. Amazing.
There are some big changes to the list this year, largely because of the influence of oil money in the Middle East. Soccer stars have been recruited to teams in that area with massive contracts. And the golf world was shaken up with LIV being created, with funding from Saudi Arabia, and attracting some huge names with staggering sums of money.
It all adds up to a whole lot of dough concentrated with a a small group. There are a couple of highly-bankable NBA stars and boxers and tennis players on the list, but noticeably missing from the top is anyone associated with football or baseball.
10. NBA Phoenix Suns Star Kevin Durant - $89.1 million
Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
9. Tennis Great Roger Federer - $95.1 million
Roger Federer (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images for Laver Cup)
8. NBA Golden State Warriors Star Guard Stephen Curry - $100.4 million
Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
7. Professional Golfer Phil Mickelson - $106 million
Phil Mickelson (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
6. Golf Pro Dustin Johnson - $107 million
Dustin Johnson (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
5. Mexican Professional Boxer Canelo Álvarez - $110 million
Canelo Alvarez (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images)
4. The NBA's All Leading Scorer LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers - $119.5 million
LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
3. French Professional Footballer Kylian Mbappé - $120 million
Kylian Mbappe (Photo by Oisin Keniry/Getty Images)
2. Argentine Professional Soccer Sensation Lionel Messi - $130 million
Lionel Messi of Argentina holds the FIFA World Cup trophy (Photo by Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images)
1. Portuguese Football Star Cristiano Ronaldo - $136 million
Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal (Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images)
