Top 10 highest-paid athletes in the world

The year 2020 brought hard times to the world of sport, with a number of athletes seeing their salaries reduced due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Despite the situation, there are some athletes that have managed to improve their income and gain more money both on and off the field.

Let’s take a look at the top 10 highest-paid athletes in 2021, as per Forbes. These sportsmen impress not only with their skills in a particular sport but also with their gainings to be the richest ones in the world.

It should be noted that on-the-field earnings include:

• All prize money
• Salaries and bonuses earned between May 1, 2020, and May 1, 2021

Meanwhile, off-the-field earnings include:

• Sponsorship deals
• Appearance fees
• Licensing income for the 12 months through May 1, plus cash returns from any businesses operated by the athlete

10. Kevin Durant

Sport: Basketball

Nationality: US

Age: 33

Earnings: $75M

Brooklyn Nets star had to be out of action during the 2019/20 season due to his Achilles injury. However, it didn’t prevent him to search for new opportunities off the field.

The 33-year-old faced real success with Boardroom and his firm Thirty Five Ventures as a media mogul. He has also been the executive producer of Two Distant Strangers, which was awarded the Oscar for best live-action.

The story of the financial success continued, with the NBA player purchasing a stake in MLS’s Philadelphia Union.

9. Tom Brady

Sport: American Football 

Nationality: US

Age: 44

Earnings: $76M

Tampa Bay Buccaneer’s footballer gets most part of his income from his professional career, though off the field earnings are also very noticeable.

Brady has collected big money as a speaker and a commercial pitchman. His wellness brand TB12 has been another factor in the financial rise, while the 44-year-old has also launched a film production company and an NFT platform.