Modern sport has long ceased to be simply a competition of talent and physical ability. It is a global business where every successful athlete becomes a brand and every achievement becomes an asset.
With multi-million dollar contracts, investments, film companies, production studios and their own beverage brands, today’s sporting elite earn more than many corporations. Here’s a look at who made Forbes’ list of the world’s richest athletes in 2025.
Kevin Durant — $101.4 million
Income from sport: $51.4 million
Outside of sport: $50 million
Nationality: USA
Sport: basketball
Age: 37
Kevin Durant deservedly tops the list — he can already be considered a historic figure in world basketball. In the summer of 2024, the small forward won the title of the US national team’s all-time leading scorer at the Summer Olympics.
And in February 2025, he became only the eighth NBA player to score 30,000 points in regular seasons. Before the start of the 2025/26 campaign, Durant opened a new chapter in his career, leaving the Phoenix Suns for the Houston Rockets.
Shohei Ohtani — $102.5 million
Income from sport: $2.5 million
Outside of sport: $100 million
Nationality: Japan
Sport: baseball
Age: 31
Karim Benzema — $104 million
Income from sport: $100 million
Outside of sport: $4 million
Nationality: France
Sport: football
Age: 37
Karim Benzema’s income proportions are completely different from Ohtani’s case. Of the major brands, the Frenchman only works with Adidas and receives most of his income from his football contract. To see such figures on his balance sheet, the striker had to go through a difficult journey.
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While Cristiano Ronaldo was playing for Real Madrid, Benzema did not claim the role of front man. But when the Portuguese left Spain in 2018, Karim came into his own. Five years later, he deservedly won the Ballon d’Or and went on to a highly paid retirement in Saudi Arabia. The Frenchman is now in his third season with Al-Ittihad and is earning his salary: in 64 matches, he has 57 points on the ‘goal+pass’ system.
Juan Soto — $114 million
In 2024, Juan Soto left the New York Yankees as a free agent and joined the New York Mets. His new team was incredibly generous, signing the outfielder to a $765 million contract, breaking Ohtani’s record. Juan is set to receive this windfall over 15 years of playing in Major League Baseball. Such a contract is not just a large sum of money, but a symbol of a new era in baseball, where young stars receive multi-year guarantees.
Of course, Soto has no intention of resting on his laurels. Off the field, he already collaborates with the Celsius brand, which produces energy drinks, is an ambassador for the Call of Duty video game, and also promotes the Dominican bank Banreservas and the Presidente beer brand.
LeBron James — $133.8 million
LeBron James is missing the start of the NBA season due to sciatica, but this has no impact on his wallet. Over his long sporting career, LeBron James’s fortune has exceeded a billion dollars — only Tiger Woods has surpassed this mark among American athletes.
James already has a whole business empire behind him. The basketball player is a co-founder of SpringHill, a company that produces entertainment content. According to Bloomberg, with revenues of $104 million last year, the company posted a loss of $28 million, but is poised for growth after merging with British company Fulwell 73. Among LeBron’s other investments is the Lobos 1707 alcohol brand. The three-time Olympic champion’s investments are not just a side effect of his sports career, but a strategic portfolio designed to work after he retires from the court.
Lionel Messi — $135 million
Income from sport: $60 million
Outside of sport: $75 million
Nationality: Argentina
Sport: football
Age: 38
In 2023, Lionel Messi did not renew his contract with PSG in order to move to another continent. The footballer chose the United States, although he was very tempted to fly to Saudi Arabia, where he was offered a £1.6 billion contract. If the deal had gone through, Leo would have become the richest athlete in the world by a wide margin.
But money was not the deciding factor for the footballer — Messi’s fortune means he does not have to worry about financial issues. The Argentine now earns a high salary by football standards at Inter Miami and is involved in other initiatives:
