Chi sono i 100 sportivi più pagati al mondo? Ce lo dice la prestigiosa rivista di economia e finanza Forbes, che annualmente stila numerose classifiche in merito a quanto entra in tasca ai più influenti uomini del mondo.
Primo e secondo posto per due calciatori che militano nel campionato spagnolo: sono – e non può essere altrimenti – Cristiano Ronaldo e Lionel Messi. CR7 riceve dal Real Madrid 88 milioni di dollari annui, 56 dei quali fanno parte del suo stipendio e i restanti derivanti dall’endorsement (sponsor pubblicitari); la Pulce del Barcellona, invece, vanta nel proprio portafogli 81.4 milioni, di cui 53.4 pagati dalla società blaugrana.
Chiude il podio un cestista, la trentaquattrenne ala dei Cleveland Cavaliers LeBron James, che nel 2016 ha percepito solo (si fa per dire) settantasette milioni. Fuori dal podio di questa speciale classifica, ma primo nel cuore dei tifosi è Roger Federer, che tiene alto l’onore del tennis con i suoi 67.8 milioni (oltre cinquanta dai tanti marchi pubblicitari che sponsorizza). Nel corso della sua lunga carriera il campione svizzero ha messo nelle proprie tasche 100 milioni di solo montepremi per i successi conseguiti.
Basket e tennis si dividono anche le due posizioni successive, la quinta e la sesta, con Kevin Durant e Novak Djokovic, mentre a seguire troviamo il campione di football americano Cam Newton e il golfista Phil Mickelsono, anch’egli statunitense. A chiudere la top ten, il collega di quest’ultimo Jordan Spieth e il cestista Kobe Briant, che ha lasciato l’attività agonistica proprio la scorsa stagione con un bottino nell’ultimo anno di cinquanta milioni tondi tondi.
Soltanto undicesimo il primo rappresentante della Formula 1, il pilota della Marcedes ed ex campione del mondo Lewis Hamilton, mentre il pilota della Ferrari Sebastian Vettel è diciannovesimo. Scorrendo la graduatoria notiamo la presenza di tanti rappresentanti degli sport nazionali americani – dalla NBA alla NFL – mentre la stella dell’atletica leggera Usain Bolt è trentaduesimo con 32.5 milioni all’attivo.
Prima donna in top 100 è la tennista Serena Williams e l’unica altra rappresentante del gentil sesso è la collega Maria Sharapova. E gli italiani? Non ce ne sono. Probabilmente non abbiamo campioni tali che meritino stipendi così elevati (eppure Valentino Rossi o Vincenzo Nibali non sono atleti qualunque) o più semplicemente nel nostro Paese si ha ancora un po’ di rispetto per il reale valore del denaro.
Di seguito la lista dei 100 sportivi più pagati al mondo nel 2016. In ordine: posizione, nome atleta, totale percepito, stipendio netto, endorsement, sport praticato.
Posizione-Nome-Totale percepito-Stipendio netto-Endorsement-Sport
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo $88 M $56 M $32 M Soccer
#2 Lionel Messi $81.4 M $53.4 M $28 M Soccer
#3 LeBron James $77.2 M $23.2 M $54 M Basketball
#4 Roger Federer $67.8 M $7.8 M $60 M Tennis
#5 Kevin Durant $56.2 M $20.2 M $36 M Basketball
#6 Novak Djokovic $55.8 M $21.8 M $34 M Tennis
#7 Cam Newton $53.1 M $41.1 M $12 M Football
#8 Phil Mickelson $52.9 M $2.9 M $50 M Golf
#9 Jordan Spieth $52.8 M $20.8 M $32 M Golf
#10 Kobe Bryant $50 M $25 M $25 M Basketball
#11 Lewis Hamilton $46 M $42 M $4 M Racing
#12 Tiger Woods $45.3 M $274 K $45 M Golf
#13 Eli Manning $45 M $37 M $8 M Football
#14 Joe Flacco $44.5 M $44 M $500 K Football
#15 Tom Brady $44.1 M $36.1 M $8 M Football
#16 Floyd Mayweather $44 M $32 M $12 M Boxing
#17 Rory McIlroy $42.6 M $7.6 M $35 M Golf
#18 Russell Wilson $41.8 M $31.8 M $10 M Football
#19 Sebastian Vettel $41 M $40 M $1 M Racing
#20 Philip Rivers $38 M $37.5 M $450 K Football
#21 Rafael Nadal $37.5 M $5.5 M $32 M Tennis
#21 Neymar $37.5 M $14.5 M $23 M Soccer
#23 Zlatan Ibrahimovic $37.4 M $30.4 M $7 M Soccer
#24 Fernando Alonso $36.5 M $35 M $1.5 M Racing
#25 Gareth Bale $35.9 M $24.9 M $11 M Soccer
#26 Marcell Dareus $35.2 M $35.1 M $100 K Football
#27 Peyton Manning $34.2 M $19.2 M $15 M Football
#28 Derrick Rose $34.1 M $20.1 M $14 M Basketball
#29 Kei Nishikori $33.5 M $3.5 M $30 M Tennis
#30 A.J. Green $33.3 M $32.8 M $500 K Football
#31 James Harden $32.8 M $15.8 M $17 M Basketball
#32 Usain Bolt $32.5 M $2.5 M $30 M Track
#33 Clayton Kershaw $32 M $31.2 M $800 K Baseball
#33 Dwyane Wade $32 M $20 M $12 M Basketball
#35 Drew Brees $31 M $19 M $12 M Football
#36 Carmelo Anthony $30.9 M $22.9 M $8 M Basketball
#37 Chris Paul $30 M $21.5 M $8.5 M Basketball
#38 Cliff Lee $29.3 M $29.2 M $100 K Baseball
#39 Olivier Vernon $29 M $28.8 M $200 K Football
#40 Serena Williams $28.9 M $8.9 M $20 M Tennis
#41 Justin Verlander $28.6 M $28 M $600 K Baseball
#42 Kyrie Irving $27.6 M $16.6 M $11 M Basketball
#43 Julio Jones $27.2 M $26 M $1.2 M Football
#44 Luke Kuechly $27.1 M $26.1 M $1 M Football
#45 Robinson Cano $27 M $24 M $3 M Baseball
#46 Dwight Howard $26.9 M $22.4 M $4.5 M Basketball
#47 Miguel Cabrera $26.6 M $24.1 M $2.5 M Baseball
#48 Albert Pujols $26.3 M $24.3 M $2 M Baseball
#49 Blake Griffin $26.1 M $18.1 M $8 M Basketball
#49 Wayne Rooney $26.1 M $20.1 M $6 M Soccer
#51 Cameron Jordan $25.9 M $25.8 M $100 K Football
#52 Russell Westbrook $25.7 M $16.7 M $9 M Basketball
#53 Ryan Howard $25.6 M $25 M $600 K Baseball
#53 Trent Williams $25.6 M $25.5 M $75 K Football
#55 Chris Bosh $25.2 M $22.2 M $3 M Basketball
#56 Felix Hernandez $24.9 M $24.4 M $500 K Baseball
#57 Zack Greinke $24.7 M $24.7 M $50 K Baseball
#58 Prince Fielder $24.6 M $24.1 M $500 K Baseball
#59 CC Sabathia $24.4 M $23.7 M $700 K Baseball
#60 Sergio Agüero $24.3 M $16.8 M $7.5 M Soccer
#60 Sam Bradford $24.3 M $24 M $300 K Football
#62 Paul George $24.1 M $17.1 M $7 M Basketball
#63 Manny Pacquiao $24 M $21.5 M $2.5 M Boxing
#64 Kevin Love $23.9 M $19.9 M $4 M Basketball
#65 Yoenis Cespedes $23.8 M $23.2 M $600 K Baseball
#65 Joe Mauer $23.8 M $23 M $800 K Baseball
#65 David Price $23.8 M $23.3 M $500 K Baseball
#65 Luis Suarez $23.8 M $17.8 M $6 M Soccer
#69 Stephen Curry $23.6 M $11.6 M $12 M Basketball
#69 Jason Day $23.6 M $15.1 M $8.5 M Golf
#71 Dez Bryant $23.5 M $23 M $500 K Football
#71 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. $23.5 M $15 M $8.5 M Racing
#73 Demaryius Thomas $23.4 M $22.2 M $1.2 M Football
#74 Andy Murray $23 M $8 M $15 M Tennis
#74 Masahiro Tanaka $23 M $22 M $1 M Baseball
#74 Mark Teixeira $23 M $22.5 M $500 K Baseball
#77 Joe Johnson $22.9 M $21.9 M $1 M Basketball
#78 Cole Hamels $22.7 M $22.5 M $200 K Baseball
#79 Anthony Castonzo $22.5 M $22.5 M $35 K Football
#79 Troy Tulowitzki $22.5 M $22.2 M $300 K Baseball
#81 Bastian Schweinsteiger $22.4 M $19.4 M $3 M Soccer
#82 Jimmie Johnson $22.2 M $16.2 M $6 M Racing
#83 Angel Di Maria $22.1 M $20.6 M $1.5 M Soccer
#83 James Rodriguez $22.1 M $15.1 M $7 M Soccer
#85 Eden Hazard $22 M $17 M $5 M Soccer
#85 Conor McGregor $22 M $18 M $4 M MMA
#85 David Ortiz $22 M $16 M $6 M Baseball
#88 Maria Sharapova $21.9 M $1.9 M $20 M Tennis
#89 Jacoby Ellsbury $21.8 M $21.2 M $600 K Baseball
#89 Justin Houston $21.8 M $21.7 M $100 K Football
#91 Matt Kemp $21.7 M $21.2 M $500 K Baseball
#92 Canelo Alvarez $21.5 M $20 M $1.5 M Boxing
#93 Adrian Gonzalez $21.4 M $21 M $400 K Baseball
#94 LaMarcus Aldridge $21.2 M $19.7 M $1.5 M Basketball
#94 Cameron Heyward $21.2 M $21 M $150 K Football
#94 Jayson Werth $21.2 M $21 M $200 K Baseball
#97 Alex Rodriguez $21.1 M $20.7 M $400 K Baseball
#98 Nico Rosberg $21 M $20 M $1 M Racing
#99 Carl Crawford $20.9 M $20.6 M $300 K Baseball
#100 Buster Posey $20.8 M $17.8 M $3 M Baseball $32 M Soccer
#2 Lionel Messi $81.4 M $53.4 M $28 M Soccer
#3 LeBron James $77.2 M $23.2 M $54 M Basketball
#4 Roger Federer $67.8 M $7.8 M $60 M Tennis
#5 Kevin Durant $56.2 M $20.2 M $36 M Basketball
#6 Novak Djokovic $55.8 M $21.8 M $34 M Tennis
#7 Cam Newton $53.1 M $41.1 M $12 M Football
#8 Phil Mickelson $52.9 M $2.9 M $50 M Golf
#9 Jordan Spieth $52.8 M $20.8 M $32 M Golf
#10 Kobe Bryant $50 M $25 M $25 M Basketball
#11 Lewis Hamilton $46 M $42 M $4 M Racing
#12 Tiger Woods $45.3 M $274 K $45 M Golf
#13 Eli Manning $45 M $37 M $8 M Football
#14 Joe Flacco $44.5 M $44 M $500 K Football
#15 Tom Brady $44.1 M $36.1 M $8 M Football
#16 Floyd Mayweather $44 M $32 M $12 M Boxing
#17 Rory McIlroy $42.6 M $7.6 M $35 M Golf
#18 Russell Wilson $41.8 M $31.8 M $10 M Football
#19 Sebastian Vettel $41 M $40 M $1 M Racing
#20 Philip Rivers $38 M $37.5 M $450 K Football
#21 Rafael Nadal $37.5 M $5.5 M $32 M Tennis
#21 Neymar $37.5 M $14.5 M $23 M Soccer
#23 Zlatan Ibrahimovic $37.4 M $30.4 M $7 M Soccer
#24 Fernando Alonso $36.5 M $35 M $1.5 M Racing
#25 Gareth Bale $35.9 M $24.9 M $11 M Soccer
#26 Marcell Dareus $35.2 M $35.1 M $100 K Football
#27 Peyton Manning $34.2 M $19.2 M $15 M Football
#28 Derrick Rose $34.1 M $20.1 M $14 M Basketball
#29 Kei Nishikori $33.5 M $3.5 M $30 M Tennis
#30 A.J. Green $33.3 M $32.8 M $500 K Football
#31 James Harden $32.8 M $15.8 M $17 M Basketball
#32 Usain Bolt $32.5 M $2.5 M $30 M Track
#33 Clayton Kershaw $32 M $31.2 M $800 K Baseball
#33 Dwyane Wade $32 M $20 M $12 M Basketball
#35 Drew Brees $31 M $19 M $12 M Football
#36 Carmelo Anthony $30.9 M $22.9 M $8 M Basketball
#37 Chris Paul $30 M $21.5 M $8.5 M Basketball
#38 Cliff Lee $29.3 M $29.2 M $100 K Baseball
#39 Olivier Vernon $29 M $28.8 M $200 K Football
#40 Serena Williams $28.9 M $8.9 M $20 M Tennis
#41 Justin Verlander $28.6 M $28 M $600 K Baseball
#42 Kyrie Irving $27.6 M $16.6 M $11 M Basketball
#43 Julio Jones $27.2 M $26 M $1.2 M Football
#44 Luke Kuechly $27.1 M $26.1 M $1 M Football
#45 Robinson Cano $27 M $24 M $3 M Baseball
#46 Dwight Howard $26.9 M $22.4 M $4.5 M Basketball
#47 Miguel Cabrera $26.6 M $24.1 M $2.5 M Baseball
#48 Albert Pujols $26.3 M $24.3 M $2 M Baseball
#49 Blake Griffin $26.1 M $18.1 M $8 M Basketball
#49 Wayne Rooney $26.1 M $20.1 M $6 M Soccer
#51 Cameron Jordan $25.9 M $25.8 M $100 K Football
#52 Russell Westbrook $25.7 M $16.7 M $9 M Basketball
#53 Ryan Howard $25.6 M $25 M $600 K Baseball
#53 Trent Williams $25.6 M $25.5 M $75 K Football
#55 Chris Bosh $25.2 M $22.2 M $3 M Basketball
#56 Felix Hernandez $24.9 M $24.4 M $500 K Baseball
#57 Zack Greinke $24.7 M $24.7 M $50 K Baseball
#58 Prince Fielder $24.6 M $24.1 M $500 K Baseball
#59 CC Sabathia $24.4 M $23.7 M $700 K Baseball
#60 Sergio Agüero $24.3 M $16.8 M $7.5 M Soccer
#60 Sam Bradford $24.3 M $24 M $300 K Football
#62 Paul George $24.1 M $17.1 M $7 M Basketball
#63 Manny Pacquiao $24 M $21.5 M $2.5 M Boxing
#64 Kevin Love $23.9 M $19.9 M $4 M Basketball
#65 Yoenis Cespedes $23.8 M $23.2 M $600 K Baseball
#65 Joe Mauer $23.8 M $23 M $800 K Baseball
#65 David Price $23.8 M $23.3 M $500 K Baseball
#65 Luis Suarez $23.8 M $17.8 M $6 M Soccer
#69 Stephen Curry $23.6 M $11.6 M $12 M Basketball
#69 Jason Day $23.6 M $15.1 M $8.5 M Golf
#71 Dez Bryant $23.5 M $23 M $500 K Football
#71 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. $23.5 M $15 M $8.5 M Racing
#73 Demaryius Thomas $23.4 M $22.2 M $1.2 M Football
#74 Andy Murray $23 M $8 M $15 M Tennis
#74 Masahiro Tanaka $23 M $22 M $1 M Baseball
#74 Mark Teixeira $23 M $22.5 M $500 K Baseball
#77 Joe Johnson $22.9 M $21.9 M $1 M Basketball
#78 Cole Hamels $22.7 M $22.5 M $200 K Baseball
#79 Anthony Castonzo $22.5 M $22.5 M $35 K Football
#79 Troy Tulowitzki $22.5 M $22.2 M $300 K Baseball
#81 Bastian Schweinsteiger $22.4 M $19.4 M $3 M Soccer
#82 Jimmie Johnson $22.2 M $16.2 M $6 M Racing
#83 Angel Di Maria $22.1 M $20.6 M $1.5 M Soccer
#83 James Rodriguez $22.1 M $15.1 M $7 M Soccer
#85 Eden Hazard $22 M $17 M $5 M Soccer
#85 Conor McGregor $22 M $18 M $4 M MMA
#85 David Ortiz $22 M $16 M $6 M Baseball
#88 Maria Sharapova $21.9 M $1.9 M $20 M Tennis
#89 Jacoby Ellsbury $21.8 M $21.2 M $600 K Baseball
#89 Justin Houston $21.8 M $21.7 M $100 K Football
#91 Matt Kemp $21.7 M $21.2 M $500 K Baseball
#92 Canelo Alvarez $21.5 M $20 M $1.5 M Boxing
#93 Adrian Gonzalez $21.4 M $21 M $400 K Baseball
#94 LaMarcus Aldridge $21.2 M $19.7 M $1.5 M Basketball
#94 Cameron Heyward $21.2 M $21 M $150 K Football
#94 Jayson Werth $21.2 M $21 M $200 K Baseball
#97 Alex Rodriguez $21.1 M $20.7 M $400 K Baseball
#98 Nico Rosberg $21 M $20 M $1 M Racing
#99 Carl Crawford $20.9 M $20.6 M $300 K Baseball
#100 Buster Posey $20.8 M $17.8 M $3 M Baseball