Lionel Messi was the highest-paid athlete for the past year according to Forbes.
The Paris Saint-Germain forward was ahead of the likes of LeBron James of the LA Lakers and Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United.
Messi approximately raked in $130 million during the 12-month period which ended May 1, 2022.
$55 million to help Messi top the Forbes list came through endorsements.
The Argentine returns to top the list of the 10 highest-paid athletes a year after finishing second to Conor McGregor.
Lebron James was next on the list after bringing home a combined $121 million, shattering the $96.5 million record for an NBA player that he set last year, while Portugal captain Ronaldo earned $115 million to sit third.
Neymar ($95 million) and three-time NBA champion Stephen Curry ($92.8 million) of the Golden State Warriors rounded out the top five.
Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets ($92 million) was sixth while Swiss tennis great Roger Federer, who played five tournaments in 2021 before a knee operation curtailed his season, was third with total earnings of $90.7 million.
The final three spots on the list went to Mexican boxer Canelo Alvarez ($90 million), seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady ($83.9 million), and reigning NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo ($80.9 million).
The list takes into account all the on-the-field earnings including all prize money, salaries, and bonuses earned during the 12-month period while off-field earnings are an estimate of sponsorship deals, appearance fees, and licensing income.
