Roger Federer beats Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi to be crowned highest-paid athlete

Juventus ace Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona icon Lionel Messi are widely regarded as the greatest footballers to embrace the game. While their dominance of the sport is clear, the duo is yet to top the earning chats across sport, with the two football stars falling behind tennis legend Roger Federer this year, who has been crowned as the highest paid athlete in the world. 

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Roger Federer named highest paid athlete in the world 

World No.4 Roger Federer has topped Forbes' list of highest-earning athletes in the world between June 2019 and May 2020. The 20-time Grand Slam winner beat the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to claim the top spot in the esteemed list. Roger Federer pocketed a massive $106.3 million over the course of the previous year. He earned $6.3 million in salary and prize money, while $100 million was racked up from brand endorsements. 

Roger Federer has topped the list for the first time in his decorated career, courtesy of his lucrative endorsement deals. The biggest contributor to his massive earning includes Japanese apparel brand Uniqlo, which the tennis ace has been endorsing after agreeing to a 10-year, $300 million deal in 2018. Celebrity Net worth estimates the Roger Federer net worth at $450 million. 

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Cristiano Ronaldo earns $105 million, in second behind Federer

Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo settles in behind Roger Federer in Forbes' list. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner managed to earn $105 million in the previous year, finishing close to the tennis icon. Ronaldo earned $60 million in salary, while he racked up close to $45 million from brand endorsements, which includes the likes of Altice, DAZN, Herbalife, MTG, Nike and Unilever.

Ronaldo's second-place finish comes after the Portuguese superstar agreed to a pay cut with Juventus amid the financial crisis induced by the coronavirus pandemic. The five-time Champions League winner's net worth is estimated at $500 million according to Celebrity Net Worth, which is more than Roger Federer's. 

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Lionel Messi net worth stands at $400m

Barcelona legend Lionel Messi finished third in the list with $104 million in earnings. The six-time Ballon d'Or winner, who is seeking an exit from the Camp Nou, earned $72 million in salary, while the remaining amount ca be traced back to his brand endorsement deals which include Adidas, Gatorade, Huawei, Mastercard and Pepsi. The Messi net worth, as estimated by Celebrity Net Worth, stands at $400 million. 

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Note: The Roger Federer, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi net worth figures have been sourced from the above-mentioned websites. This website does not guarantee 100 per cent accuracy of these figures. 

Image courtesy: Leo Messi/Roger Federer/Cristiano Ronaldo Instagram