Sportco Top 10 List of Highest Paid Athletes of 2021

10. Kevin Durant - $75M 

(ON THE FIELD - $31M, OFF THE FIELD - $44M)

We kickstart our list of highest-paid athletes of 2021 with Brooklyn Net's Kevin Durant. KD has been one of the best basketball players in the world for quite some time now, also regarded as LeBron James’ heir of being the best player in the world. 

Kevin Durant’s career has been legendary as he’s won 2 championships along with 2 finals MVP. Kevin Durant has got a shoe deal with Nike, having his signature shoe. 

9. Tom Brady - $76M 

(ON THE FIELD - $45M, OFF THE FIELD - $31M)

Tom Brady is arguably the greatest player to ever play the sport of American Football, the biggest star in the sport’s history. 

Brady has won 7 Super Bowls, the most in the history of the sport, by a margin. His deal with Under Armour makes up for almost half of his total earnings this year. 

8. Lewis Hamilton - $82M 

(ON THE FIELD -$70M, OFF THE FIELD - $12M)

Lewis Hamilton, the name is enough for any F1 fan to know that whenever there’s a list of earnings, Lewis Hamilton will be present. 

The seven-times F1 World Champion has made most of his earnings on the field, and this might not reflect the real value of his total earnings this year. Hamilton is the only F1 driver on our list of highest-paid athletes of 2021.

7. Roger Federer - $90M 

(ON THE FIELD - $30K, OFF THE FIELD - $90M)

This list has got many greats and it won’t be stopping with the greatest Swiss Tennis Player ever, also arguably the greatest altogether. 

As one can see, most of his earnings come from off the field as Roger Federer has got over 14 brands endorsing him including Credit Suisse, Mercedes-Benz, Rolex and Wilson. 

Federer ends up on No. 7 on our list of highest-paid athletes of 2021 and also being the only tennis player on our list.

6. Neymar - $95M 

(ON THE FIELD -$76M, OFF THE FIELD - $19M)

Neymar’s deal with PSG is one of the biggest deals in the history of the sport. His ridiculous clauses also add to it. 

The Brazilian also has a massive deal with Puma as he switched over from Nike. He recently signed a new deal with the club which lasts until 2025, we might see Neymar climb up the list over the next few years. 

5. LeBron James - $96.5M 

(ON THE FIELD - $31.5M, OFF THE FIELD - $65M)

On his way to being the top scorer in the history of the NBA. Along with being in the conversations of being the GOAT, LeBron James is also competing with Michael Jordan when it comes to cash. 

LeBron James’ deal with Nike makes him most of his money (more than $30 million a year). Just falling a few million short of $100 million, LeBron ends up on 5th position on our list of highest-paid athletes of 2021.

4. Dak Prescott - $107.5M 

(ON THE FIELD - $97.5M, OFF THE FIELD - $10M)

The biggest sports deal on this list, Dak Prescott makes a whopping $97.5M just from his contract. Dak Prescott is the first player on the list to make over 9 figures in a single year. 

3. Cristiano Ronaldo - $120M 

(ON THE FIELD - $70M, OFF THE FIELD - $50M)

Of course, the biggest star on the list has to be present. Cristiano Ronaldo is the biggest star on social media with a fan following of 355 million on Instagram, and hence, the Portuguese talisman makes a lot of his money through promotional posts. 

He also made $70M just from his contract, adding onto his earnings another $50M through his endorsements, his biggest deal is with Nike. With a total earnings of $120 million for 2021, C. Ron makes a podium finish on our list of the highest-paid athletes of 2021.

2. Lionel Messi - $130M 

(ON THE FIELD - $97M, OFF THE FIELD - $33M)

The Little Magician follows up his fellow goat, Lionel Messi previously signed the biggest deal in football history with FC Barcelona. 

Even though he signed a significantly less lucrative deal with his new club, PSG, it is still a lot. Lionel Messi also has a deal with Adidas, and his Instagram is also a huge source of his income. 

1. Conor McGregor - $180M 

(ON THE FIELD - $22M, OFF THE FIELD - $158M)

Topping our list of the highest-paid athletes of 2021 is none other than, Conor McGregor. 

The biggest fighter ever in MMA history, Conor McGregor surely knows how to run a business and his off-field earnings prove it. In a sport that is known for paying its athletes criminally low, Conor McGregor managed to make $22M a year in the same sport. 

His Irish whiskey, Proper Twelve, is one of the highest-selling whiskeys in the world. He also has endorsements with Reebok and a few other brands which add up to his massive income. 

So that was our list of the highest-paid athletes of 2021. Which of these is your favourite sports hero? Do let us know in the comments below.