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World's Top Paid Athlete for 2014

Each year since 2004, Sports Illustrated Magazine's have published the Fortunate 50 (top paid US athletes) and the International 20 (top paid other athletes). It made sense to combine these two and create the World 10.



We have combined the 2014 Fortunate 50 and the 2014 International 20 lists to give you the top 10 paid athletes in the world in 2014 according to Sports Illustrated. Compare this list to the Forbes 2014 Top Paid Athletes List, a similar list done in the same time period.

Earning totals are based on salary, winnings, endorsements and appearance fees.

Rank Name Country Sport earnings
(US$ mil)
previous year
1 Floyd Mayweather Jr. USA Boxing $105.0 1
2 Cristiano Ronaldo Portugal Soccer $75.6 10
3 Lionel Messi Argentina Soccer $74.8  
4 LeBron James USA Basketball $57.1 2
5 Kobe Bryant USA Basketball $50.5 5
6 Aaron Rogers USA American Football $45.8  
7. Rafael Nadal Spain Tennis $42.6  
8. Roger Federer Switzerland Tennis $42.2 6
9. Fernando Alonso Spain Auto Racing $41.0 7
10. Manny Pacquiao Philippines Boxing $40.9  


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Lists Extra

Football/Soccer is clearly the world's most popular sport, and has the most popular athletes, but which sport has the fittest players (but not necessarily the greatest athlete). These players do not always earn the most. The best of the best have made it to our 7 Sporting Wonders Lists.

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