McGregor tops Forbes highest-paid athletes list

Irish MMA fighter Conor McGregor was the world’s highest-paid athlete over the last year ahead of soccer players Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, according to the annual Forbes http://www.forbes.com list released on Wednesday.

During the 12-month period ending May 1, 2021 McGregor earned Sh19 billion, a figure which includes Sh17 billion from endorsements and the recent sale of the majority stake of his whiskey brand, Forbes said.

Barcelona and Argentina forward Messi was second on the list and set a record as the highest-earning soccer player after bringing home Sh14 billion while Portugal and Juventus forward Ronaldo earned Sh12.9 billion to sit third among the top 10 highest-paid athletes.

Forbes said its on-the-field earnings figures include all prize money, salaries and bonuses earned during the 12-month period while off-the-field earnings are an estimate of sponsorship deals, appearance fees and licensing income.