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Forbes Reveal Worlds Highest Paid Athletes For 2016

Forbes Reveal Worlds Highest Paid Athletes For 2016

The highest paid athlete is raking in an absurd amount of money...

Nasir Jabbar

Nasir Jabbar

There's a new name at the top of the money tree. Cristiano Ronaldo has been named Forbes' world's highest-earning athlete for the first time.

Following the retirement of undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather, the Real Madrid star now tops the money rich-list ahead of Barcelona rival Lionel Messi.

With Cleveland Cavaliers LeBron James, newly-crowned Australian Open champion Roger Federer and Golden State Warriors Kevin Durant making up the top five.

Forbes' Kurt Badenhausen wrote via Goal; "With Mayweather hanging up his gloves and Woods hampered by injuries, there is an opening at the top. Filling the gap is the biggest star in the biggest sport on the planet."

Meanwhile, Ronaldo also becomes just the second individual from a team sport to lead the rankings since they began in 1999;

"This year, soccer icon Cristiano Ronaldo is the world's highest-paid athlete, with earnings of $88m over the past 12 months from salary, bonuses and endorsements. Ronaldo is only the second team athlete after Michael Jordan to rank as the top-paid since Forbes began tracking athlete earnings in 1990."

Here's a breakdown of the top 10:

1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Football) - $88m (£70.5m)

2. Lionel Messi (Football) - $81m (£65m)

3. LeBron James (Basketball) - $77m (£61.7m)

4. Roger Federer (Tennis) - $67.8M (£54.4m)

5. Kevin Durant (Basketball) - $56.2M (£45m)

6. Novak Djokovic (Tennis) - $55.8m (£44.7m)

7. Cam Newton (American football) - $53.1m (£42.6m)

8. Phil Mickelson (Golf) - $52.9m (£42.4m)

9. Jordan Spieth (Golf) - $52.8m (£42.3m)

10. Kobe Bryant (Basketball) - $50m (£40.1m)

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Topics: Basketball, Football, Messi, Ronaldo