The World’s Top 50 Highest Paid Athletes This Year
Forbes just released the list of top paid athletes in the world.
This is an astonishing list of amazing athletes. There are many future hall of famers in this list, not to mention very entertaining to watch.
Here are the 50 highest paid athletes of 2015:
50. Joe Mauer
Joseph “Joe” Patrick Mauer is an American professional baseball player.
$24 Million
49. Joe Johnson
Joe Marcus Johnson is an American professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association.
$24.2 Million
48. Prince Fielder
Prince Semien Fielder is an American professional baseball first baseman and designated hitter for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball.
$24.3 Million
47. Serena Williams
Serena Jameka Williams is an American professional tennis player who is ranked No. 1 in women’s singles tennis.
$24.6 Million
46. Blake Griffin
Blake Austin Griffin is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association.
$24.7 Million
45. Sergio Aguero
Sergio Leonel Agüero Del Castillo, nicknamed Kun Agüero, is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a striker for English club Manchester City and the Argentina national team
$23.5 Million
44. Amar’e Stoudemire
$25 Million
43. Miguel Cabrera
Amar’e Carsares Stoudemire is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association.
$25.1 Million
42. Cliff Lee
Clifton Phifer “Cliff” Lee is an American professional baseball starting pitcher who is a free agent.
$25.2 Million
41. Dwight Howard
Dwight David Howard is an American professional basketball player for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association.
$25.5 Million
40. Ryan Howard
Ryan James Howard is an American professional baseball first baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball.
$25.6 Million
39. Albert Pujols
José Alberto Pujols Alcántara, better known as Albert Pujols, is a Dominican-American first baseman for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of Major League Baseball.
$25.9 Million
38. Radamel Falcao
Radamel Falcao García Zárate, also known as Radamel Falcao, or simply Falcao, is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as a striker for English club Chelsea, on loan from French club Monaco, and captain of the Colombia national team.
$25.9 Million
37. Chris Paul
Christopher Emmanuel Paul is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association.
$26.1 Million
36. Gerald McCoy
Gerald Keith McCoy Jr. is an American football defensive tackle for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League.
$26.7 Million
35. Wayne Rooney
Wayne Mark Rooney is an English professional footballer who plays for and captains both Manchester United and the England national team.
$26.9 Million
34. Clayton Kershaw
Clayton Edward Kershaw is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball.
$26.9 Million
33. Kimi Raikkonenr
Kimi-Matias Räikkönen, nicknamed “The Ice Man”, is a Finnish racing driver currently driving for Ferrari in Formula One.
$27 Million
32. Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League.
$27 Million
31. Dwayne Wade
Dwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association.
$27.2 Million
30. Robinson Cano
Robinson José Canó Mercedes is a Dominican-American professional baseball second baseman for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball.
$27.6 Million
29. J.J. Watt
Justin James “J. J.” Watt is an American football defensive end for the Houston Texans of the National Football League.
$27.9 Million
28. James Rodriguez
James David Rodríguez Rubio, known as James Rodríguez, is a Colombian professional footballer who plays for Spanish club Real Madrid and the Colombia national team as an attacking midfielder or winger.
$29 Million
27. Carson Palmer
Carson Hilton Palmer is an American football quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League.
$29 Million
26. Maria Sharapova
Maria Yuryevna Sharapova is a Russian professional tennis player, who is ranked world No. 4 by the Women’s Tennis Association.
$29.7 Million
25. Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Kyam Anthony is an American professional basketball player for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association.
$30.5 Million
24. Neymar
Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, commonly known as Neymar or Neymar Jr., is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays for Spanish club FC Barcelona and the Brazil national team as a forward or winger, and is also the captain of the national team.
$31 Million
23. Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Mahendra Singh Dhoni is an Indian cricketer and the current captain of the Indian national cricket team in limited-overs formats.
$31 Million
22. Rafael Nadal
Rafael “Rafa” Nadal Parera is a Spanish professional tennis player currently ranked world No. 5.
$32.5 Million
21. Sebastian Vettel
Sebastian Vettel is a German racing driver, currently driving in Formula One for Scuderia Ferrari.
$33 Million
20. Derrick Rose
Derrick Martell Rose is an American professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association.
$33.9 Million
19. Jon Lester
Jonathan Tyler Lester is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball.
$34.1 Million
18. Gareth Bale
Gareth Frank Bale is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as a winger for Spanish club Real Madrid and the Wales national team.
$35 Million
17. Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso Díaz audio is a Spanish Formula One racing driver and a double World Champion who is currently racing for McLaren-Honda.
$35.5 Million
16. Ndamukong Suh
Ndamukong Suh is an American football defensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League.
$38.6 Million
15. Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton, MBE is a British Formula One racing driver from England, currently racing for the Mercedes AMG Petronas team. He is the 2008, 2014 and 2015 Formula One World Champion.
$39 Million
14. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan Ibrahimović is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as a striker for French club Paris Saint-Germain and the Sweden national team for which he is captain.
$39.1 Million
13. Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic is a Serbian professional tennis player who is currently ranked world No. 1 in men’s singles tennis by the Association of Tennis Professionals.
$48 Million
12. Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy, MBE is a Northern Irish professional golfer who is a member of both the European and PGA Tours. He was world number one in the Official World Golf Ranking for 95 weeks.
$48.3 Milion
11. Ben Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd “Ben” Roethlisberger, Sr., nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League.
$48.9 Million
10. Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association.
$49.5 Million
9. Tiger Woods
Eldrick Tont “Tiger” Woods is an American professional golfer who is among the most successful golfers of all time. He has been one of the highest-paid athletes in the world for several years.
$50.6 Million
8. Phil Mickelson
Philip Alfred Mickelson is an American professional golfer. He has won 42 events on the PGA Tour, including five major championships: three Masters titles, a PGA Championship, and an Open Championship.
$50.8 Million
7. Kevin Durant
Kevin Wayne Durant is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association. He has played the small forward position for the Thunder, formerly the Seattle SuperSonics.
$54.2 Million
6. Lebron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association. He has started at the small forward and power forward positions.
$64.8 Million
5. Roger Federer
Roger Federer born 8 August 1981 is a Swiss professional tennis player who is currently ranked world No. 3 by the Association of Tennis Professionals. Many commentators and players regard Federer as the greatest tennis player of all time.
$67 Million
4. Lionel Messi
Lionel Andrés “Leo” Messi is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish club Barcelona and the Argentina national team.
$73.8 Million
3. Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro GOIH, known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for Spanish club Real Madrid and the Portugal national team. He is a forward and serves as captain for Portugal.
$79.6 Million
2. Manny Pacquiao
Emmanuel “Manny” Dapidran Pacquiao, PLH, is a Filipino world champion professional boxer. At 32 he was elected to the Philippine House of Representatives. He has also been involved in basketball, acting, and singing.
$160 Million
1. Floyd Mayweather
Floyd Joy Mayweather, Jr. is an American retired professional boxer. Undefeated as a professional and a five-division world champion, Mayweather won twelve world titles and the lineal championship in four different weight classes.
Wow, pro athletes can make some serious money in the right sports. Does poker count towards this because there are some poker players that are well into the $20-$30 million in pro tournaments.