In 2022, Lionel Messi will be the highest-paid athlete in the world, followed by Lebron James and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The captain of Argentina earned $130 million in pre-tax gross income during the previous 12 months, according to Forbes.
With earnings of $121.2 million, NBA star Lebron James is in second place, while Cristiano Ronaldo is third with $115 million.
The yearly Forbes list of the highest-paid athletes in the world takes into account both their on- and off-field earnings.
Messi earned $70 in on-field pay and $55 million in endorsements on his free transfer from his childhood club Barcelona to PSG last summer.