1. Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan the NBA star now makes more money every year than he earn in his whole career as the NBA celebrity. He is now become a billionaire in this year, mostly thanks to the image that he created on the courtyard and the wise business decisions that he made to invest. The mixture was as powerful as he is still the highest paid athlete of the world after more than a decade since he played his last NBA match.
While his earnings from the endorsement transaction and the royalties from his namesake a Jordan brand which is the subsidiary of Nike, the greatest athletes has made US $ 100 million in 2014 according to Forbes. This endorsement is more than any other world athlete either he is active or retired from the sports. Michael Jordan now earns more in one single year as he earn in his 15 years NBA career as his total career earning is US $ 94 million but in a one single year in 2015 his earning from the endorsement is US $ 100 million.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo
The highest paid footballer of the world, the Portuguese star has earned US $ 80 million in the last year which makes him the 2nd richest athletes of the world. Ronaldo is the most preferred choice for the brands to get endorsements as the Real Madrid celebrity enjoys the massive fan following in all over the world. The most liked athlete of the world as he has over 30 million follower on the Twitter and get over 100 million likes on the top social site Facebook.
Ronaldo is the preferred advertising face for the world famous sports brand Nike. He receives 6 million Euros annually with his contract with the Nike. Now he signs a new contract of US $ 64 million with the Nike for the next 5 years and most probably he is become at No.1 in the few upcoming years. He is also the brand ambassador for the Armani and KFC for which he receives one million pound from the Armani and US $ 2 million from the KFC respectively.
3. Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi is the best football player in the last ten years and his contract with the Barcelona makes him the world highest paid athlete. Messi has signed a unique deal with the Adidas as the preferred face of the second biggest sports brand of the world and earn US $ 40 million in one year from the Adidas contract. The five times winner of the FIFA player of the year award (Ballon d’Or) in his career and the constant success at the pitch makes him the most marketable and valuable athletes of the world.
While he is too good at the pitch but he even do better at outside the pitch with his profitable endorsements deals with the other brands like Samsung, EA Sports, Pepsi and several other domestic and international contracts.
4. LeBorn James
LeBorn James the NBA star has become the long way and catching the public eyes since 2010 as he announced to move to South Beach. LeBorn has won his second career title of NBA in and his jersey is best seller in the NBA auction. The success of the James LeBorn has clearly cemented his place as the world sports top earner with the endorsement of US $ 42 million. His endorsements brands include the Nike, Coca Cola, Samsung, Upper Deck, Dunkin & Donuts and Audemars Piguet.
The King James has delivered to follow his promise to bring the Cleveland champion and when the Cavs has become the champion and won the 2016 NBA title. The Nike brand has signed the first lifetime contract with the James and he is the first in the company history of 44 years. James has also made the big screen debut in the movie “Trainwork” in summer 2015 and he is set to be a star in the series of “Space Jam”. LeBorn James has total earnings of US $ 77 million to secure his spot at No. 4 in the world richest athletes.
5. Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant earnings are continues to grow since he announce the retirement from the NBA and the sports. The NBA regular spell has wide down so as the Los Angeles legend Kobe Bryant. It has been twenty years since he entered the league as the rookie but at the time of exits he is the most celebrated player of League of all times. You may be become a little sad as experiencing the NBA full season without the Black Mamba.
The NBA all time 3rd leading scorer retired with the estimated earning of US $ 680 million in terms of his annual salaries and the endorsements in his more than 2 decade amazing career. Currently he has focusing on plotting a portfolio to invest in the sports drink. Although what he made from his long career but still he receives US $ 64 million annual endorsement from the famous brands.
6. Tiger Woods
After a dramatic fall from his grace since 2009 crashes, Tiger Woods has lost the 5 sponsors and also lost the US $ 50 million annual income. But now he is back and improves his ranking with some victories after the incidents. He occupied the top earning richest athletes from 2001 to until 2012 when he faces the crises and lost his position.
Tiger Woods earns US $ 78 million in the last years which is the total of the endorsements, Prize money and the appearance fees at the golf courses. His career rebirth is associated with his prize money in the last year and he receives US $ 13.1 million which is almost double from the previous year. He has total 78 PGA tour wins in his career and only 4 short to breaks the all time record which is held by the Sam Snead.
7. Roger Federer
Roger Federer is greatly perceived as the world greatest player of tennis as he hold the several record with the most titles of single Grand Slams wins of 17 times. He also holds the record of appearing in the straight 18 Grand Slams finals out of 19 from 2005 to 2010. Although he has lost the supremacy on the court but still he ranked up his endorsement and the annual earnings greater then he receives before.
His portfolio is unmatched as compare to another sportsperson when it comes to the quality and the number of the sponsors along with the duration that he holds the contract with the several brands. His deals helps to earn US $ 71 million in the last year which including his appearance at the courts and the prize money.
8. Phil Mickelson
Phil Mickelson’s ranking has dropped in the past years, but he still continues to be a hot product with the sponsors after only the Tiger Woods earns more then off the course. Phil Mickelson was introduce into the Hall of Fame in 2012 World Gold which is reflecting a astral career that included the wins of 40 PGA tours 9th at all-time and US $ 66 million in career prize money which is 2nd of all times and 4 major titles with the 2nd most in the last 20 years.
Phil Mickelson receives more than US $ 30 million annually from the contract deals and endorsement partners such as KPMG, Callaway, Barclay’s, Rolex, Exxon, and Amgen/Pfizer. He set up the deal to encourage the psoriatic arthritis drug Enbrel after he was suffered and diagnosed with the sickness in 2010 and used the pills for his treatment. Phil Mickelson has been joining the artistic way to design numerous golf courses in all over China.
9. Rafael Nadal
The other great name in the field of sports Rafael Nadal while he may have bear a comparatively rough year of 2015 to that day and “bombing” out of the French Open which he owned very best part in the last decade and reaches into the quarter finals and wins 77% of his matches on the clay court this year which put him into the same perspective as his winning percentage at the French Open prior to 2015 that is almost 99 percent.
Rafael Nadal without any doubt is still the one of the best and game’s most formidable player and most recognized names in the history of tennis. Obviously a man who has won the 66 tour single titles, 14 Grand Slam men’s single titles. Rafael Nadal has collective a neat sum of prize money since his turning pro in 2001 with the estimated endorsement of US 72.7 million in his account.
10. Roy Mcllroy
The worst reserved secret in history of golf was confirmed when the Nike announced that after deciding to signing of Rory Mcllroy with the long term endorsement deal which also covers apparel and equipment. Roy Mcllroy is creating his season debut after signing a deal at the HSBC Golf Championship in Abu Dhabi and will use a Nike ball, drive and putter. The massive deal is worth US $ 20 million annually but the multiple sources reveals that the deal is worth appreciably less than US $ 20 million.
Even the deal is sing between the US $ 10 million to US $ 15 million annually, the deal rise up and included the Mcllroy at the top of the world’s highest paid athlete and golfers.