It may be a strange quirk of genetics that gives some individuals the ability to excel at some sports and perhaps simple good luck that helps them develop a star persona to bring them abiding super success. It is an amalgam of various factors that results in some athletes being so very successful while other, equally talented ones seem to fall by the wayside. The super athletes continue to earn big bucks well after they retire from the actual sport. We look at these exceptional individuals; the highest paid athletes of all time according to Forbes.
He is the highest paid athlete of all time with earnings in excess of $1.7 billion. Though he retired from professional basketball 13 years ago, he is earning more now than ever before. The Nike owned Jordan brand generated over $2.8 billion for Nike and the sports brand paid him $100 million.
One of the most successful golfers of all time, he is also the favourite of the endorsements bandwagons. Personal scandal, surgery, and poor form have not marred his ability to earn. His career earnings are a whopping $1.65 billion.
Regarded as the greatest ever golfer, he died earlier this year at the age of 87. He was the first superstar of sport’s TV age and helped popularize the sport earlier regarded as elitist. His career earnings were $1.35 billion.
Another pro golfer, his was a career spanning 25 years. He made his money not just by playng golf, but also via his golf course design firm; designing over 400 courses in 41 counties to rack up $1.15 billion over the span of his career.
Widely regarded as the greatest F1 driver ever, he was the world’s first billionaire athlete and earned over a billion dollars over the course of his career.
This pro basketball player is the highest paid athlete in the history of team sport and is also a business man. He has raked in about $770 over his career span.
American pro boxer and now boxing promoter enjoyed such phenomenonal success as an athlete he earned the nickname “Money” and earned about $765 million over the years.
Another pro golfer, he has worn 42 events on the PGA tour and dubbed “golf's best loser ever” he has nevertheless done extremely well for himself with career earnings in the region of $760 million.
Finally! A football player and an athlete we care about, I hear you say! Probably the game’s greatest pinup ever, his fame reached far beyond his game. He has made about $730 million as a player and after retirement.
He is a former pro basketball player and now TV analyst and made about $292 million (inflation not adjusted) over the course of his career.
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