Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi? Report reveals highest paid athlete of 2024 as duo finish above Steph Curry and LeBron James in list

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were among the big names in the list of 10 top-earning athletes of 2024, according to stats from a British betting site. The legendary football duo are in the twilight of their careers and remain active far away from the glitz and glamor of European circuit, though continuing to take home heavy paychecks.

As per stats by bestbettingsitesoffers.co.uk, Ronaldo topped the list of highest-paid athletes last year with an income of £192.40million ($260m), while his great rival made almost half of that with £99.90m ($135m).

However, it's worth noting that Messi earns more off the pitch due to his extremely high brand recognition and marketability. Since joining Inter Miami in the MLS in 2023, the Argentine great has seen his fan following in the US grow significantly. He marginally beats basketball legend LeBron James, who came in fourth with £94.87m.

Ronaldo, though, earns mainly from his lavish contract at Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr, who extended his contract by another two years for a staggering $700 million (£516.34m) in June this year. It's the most lucrative contract in sporting history. To put it into further context, the Portuguese star now makes an average of £488,000 per day at the club.

This is also the second consecutive year that Ronaldo has been named as the highest paid athlete in the world after Forbes topped him in 2023 too.

Golf star Jon Rahm was placed second on the list with £161.32m ($218m) earnings while other football stars such as Kylian Mbappe (£81.4m), Neymar (£79.92m) and Karim Benzema (£78.44m) also feature on the list in sixth, seventh and eighth places, respectively. Steph Curry came in at ninth with £75.38m earned last year.

Ronaldo and Messi continue to score for their club and country

At 40 years of age, Cristiano Ronaldo is setting a new bar of longevity for players as the Portuguese legend continues to rake up the numbers for his club and country. He's begun the new campaign with two goals in three games for Al-Nassr, while also netting in both of Portugal's World Cup qualifiers this month.

Meanwhile, his eternal rival Lionel Messi has scored 19 goals from 19 games in the MLS for Inter Miami so far, though he made headlines for a missed spot-kick in a recent defeat. It still doesn't eclipse the prolific season he's had with the Herons, while also helping his national team qualify for next year's showpiece with eight goals in the campaign, more than anyone in the CONMEBOL zone.

Their best years might be behind them, but Ronaldo and Messi have shown what they're capable of even at this age, when most players would have already hung up their boots.

Edited by Sankalp Srivastava