Shoes worn by NBA legend Michael Jordan in the famous “Flu Game” of the 1997 NBA Finals were sold at auction for $1.38 million (R25 million). Image: NBA.com
10 highest paid athletes ever: Where do Messi, Ronaldo and Michael Jordan figure?
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have amassed great wealth, but it doesn’t touch the riches that Michael Jordan has roped in since the 90s.
Shoes worn by NBA legend Michael Jordan in the famous “Flu Game” of the 1997 NBA Finals were sold at auction for $1.38 million (R25 million). Image: NBA.com
Of the 10 highest paid sportspeople of all time, four of them are golfers. Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest paid footballer ever, but his wealth doesn’t even scratch the surface of the riches that Michael Jordan has amassed over the years. And where is Messi in all this?
MJ: The GOAT of any sport, ever
10 highest paid athletes of all time
- Michael Jordan: $3.3 Billion
- Tiger Woods: $2.5 Billion
- Arnold Palmer: $1.7 Billion
- Jack Nicklaus: $1.63 Billion
- Cristiano Ronaldo: $1.58 Billion
- LeBron James: $1.53 Billion
- Lionel Messi: $1.48 Billion
- Floyd Mayweather: $1.41 Billion
- Roger Federer: $1.38 Billion
- Phil Mickelson: $1.36 Billion
LOL: Five things that didn’t exist when Chiefs last won a trophy
Ronaldo, Messi holding the torch for football
World Cup winner Lionel Messi and five-time Champions League winner Cristiano Ronaldo are undoubtedly the two biggest football names of their generation. The superstar pair, to this day, are the only footballers to have crossed the Billion US Dollar mark in football earnings and related endorsements.
Champions League draw: Everything you need to know
Man City vs Burnley: What time does the FA Cup quarterfinal kickoff?
Michael Jordan still the GOAT
Jordan blazed the trail for athletes around the globe, showing how lucrative it could be to build a career around endorsement earnings. Like MJ, Woods reached the pinnacle of his sport while shying away from controversy, making him a marketing darling for sponsors like Accenture, American Express, EA Sports, General Motors and Nike. Keep your nose clean and the cash will roll into your bank account.
*Source: Fubiz via Forbes
Looking at this list, perhaps we should have taken up golf at a young age.
Also, for more insights, analysis and love for the beautiful game, hit up James Freemantle.
Meanwhile, follow The South African on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news updates
