Roger top-earner, Virat only Indian
Roger Federer’s haul over the past 12 months included $100 million from appearances fees and endorsement deals plus $6.3 million in prize money. His previous best showing was second in 2013. Virat Kohli’s earnings of $24 million from endorsement and $2 m
New York, May 30: Cricket superstar Virat Kohli remains the only Indian in the Forbes’ list of world’s highest-paid athletes with total earnings of $26 million, jumping to the 66th spot from 100 in the 2020 standings.
Kohli’s earnings from endorsement stand at $24 million and $2 million from salary/winnings. The 31year-old is also the only cricketer in the top-100 list.
With earnings of $25 million, Kohli was ranked 100th in 2019 and 83rd in 2018 with $24 million.
Meanwhile, Roger Federer topped the 2020 Forbes magazine list of highest-paid global athletes announced Friday, leading the lineup for the first time with pre-tax earnings of $106.3 million (95.5 million euros).
The Swiss tennis legend, a men’s record 20-time Grand Slam singles champion, becomes the first player from his sport atop the annual list since its 1990 debut, rising from fifth in 2019.
Federer’s haul over the past 12 months included $100 million from appearances fees and endorsement deals plus $6.3 million in prize money. His previous best showing was second in 2013.
Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo was second on the list at $105 million, $60 million in salary and $45 million from endorsements, with Argentine football hero Lionel Messi third on $104 million, $32 million of that from sponsorship deals.
Messi and Ronaldo, who have traded the top spot three of the past four years, saw their combined incomes dip $28 million from last year due to salary cuts when European clubs halted play in March.
Brazilian footballer Neymar was fourth overall on $95.5 million, $25 million from endorsements, while NBA star LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers was fifth on $88.2 million, $60 million of that from endorsements.
NBA star Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors was sixth on $74.4 million with former teammate Kevin Durant next on $63.9 million.
Tiger Woods, the reigning Masters champion and a 15-time major winner, was eighth on the list and tops among golfers at $62.3 million, all but $2.3 million from sponsor deals. Woods topped the Forbes list a record 12 times before an infidelity scandal helped end his run. — Agencies