David Beckham
Net Worth: $450 million
When it comes to recognizable names and faces in the world of sports, David Beckham is undoubtedly one of the most noteworthy. Born in London, Beckham is regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of his generation — and arguably one of the best footballers to ever play for England. Beckham made a name for himself as a 17-year-old playing for Manchester United.
While with United, Beckham won the Premier League six times. Following his time with the Red Devils, Beckham enjoyed memorable stints with Real Madrid and the LA Galaxy. Married to Victoria Beckham (Posh Spice of the Spice Girls), Beckham now owns Inter Miami CF — a member of MLS.
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Roger Staubach
Net Worth: $600 million
For a man who last played in the NFL in 1979, it is shocking to see just how wealthy Roger Staubach is said to be. With an estimated net worth of $600 million, Staubach is easily one of the wealthiest athletes in the world. A Heisman Trophy winner while at Navy, Staubach went on to win two Super Bowls — and one Super Bowl MVP — as a member of the Dallas Cowboys. During his playing career, Staubach started a commercial real estate business named The Staubach Company. In 2008, the Hall of Famer sold his company for a whopping $613 million.
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Jack Nicklaus
Net Worth: $320 million
The two biggest names in the history of golf are included on this list — but let’s start with The Golden Bear, Jack Nicklaus. Over the course of his legendary career, Nicklaus won 117 tournaments, including 73 on the PGA Tour, and 18 major championships. Nicklaus’ 73 PGA Tour victories rank third all-time, and his 18 major wins are the most all-time. Today, Nicklaus owns and operates Nicklaus Design — a golf course design and construction company. It is not too surprising that The Golden Bear is worth north of $300 million.
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Fernando Alonso
Net Worth: $240 million
Only five drivers have more career victories than Spain’s Fernando Alonso. Currently racing for Alpine F1 Team, Alonso has been on the scene since 2001. The driver finished 23rd overall in his debut season, but quickly announced his presence as a top driver in the sport. In his second year, Alonso finished on four podiums — including his first-career win at the 2003 Hungarian Grand Prix — and finished 6th in the WDC.
After a 4th place finish in his second year with Renault, Alonso claimed back-to-back WDC titles in ’05 and ’06. While Alonso hasn’t been able to capture a third championship, he has come close a number of times. Racing for Ferrari from 2010-14, Alonso finished in 2nd place three times (’10, ’12, ’13) — losing to Sebastian Vettel all three times. After a two season hiatus, Alonso returned in ’21. As a result of his sensational driving, Alonso has built an estimated net worth of $240 million.
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Anna Kasprzak
Net Worth: $1.3 billion
According to Forbes, Anna Kasprzak is worth a staggering $1.3 billion. The German-born Kasprzak has represented Denmark at two Summer Olympics — London 2012 and Rio de Janeiro 2016. Kasprzak, a dressage rider, helped her team finish in fourth place at the 2012 Games. Alongside her mom and brother, Kasprzak owns a Danish shoe manufacturer known as ECCO. ECCO, which was founded in 1963, sells its products in 90 countries. Who would have thought an Olympic dressage rider would be worth over $1 billion?
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Greg Norman
Net Worth: $400 million
Golf can be a very lucrative sport if you are amongst the best in the world. Known as ‘The Shark’, Greg Norman won 89 professional tournaments and two majors during his career. The winner of The Open Championship in 1986 and 1993, Norman has increased his wealth through his entrepreneurial endeavors. In addition to being the CEO of the Greg Norman Company, ‘The Shark’ is the CEO of LIV Golf — a new start-up golf company that is attempting to compete against the PGA Tour. Norman’s shark logo can be seen on golf apparel worn by players all around the world.
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George Foreman
Net Worth: $300 million
A two-time World Heavyweight champion and an Olympic gold medalist in boxing, George Foreman has made himself a fortune over the years. Famously, Foreman began his professional career 40-0 before losing his heavyweight title to Muhammad Ali in the iconic Rumble in the Jungle. When it was finally time to hang up the gloves — at the age of 48 — Foreman walked away with a remarkable 76-5 record. Outside the ropes, Foreman has made a boatload of money as the face of the George Foreman Grill. In 1999, Salton, Inc. allegedly paid Foreman $138 million for the right to use his name on the grill. With the grill continuing to thrive, it is easy to understand how Foreman has an estimated net worth of $300 million.
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Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Net Worth: $300 million
The son of the late, great Dale Earnhardt Sr., Junior carved out quite a career in his own right. Semi-retired as of 2022, Dale Earnhardt Jr. enjoyed 26 victories in the NASCAR Cup Series (tied for 31st in NASCAR history). Inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2022, Junior is a two-time Daytona 500 winner and was deemed the Most Popular Driver for 15-straight years (2003-2017). Junior currently works as an analyst for NASCAR on NBC, and is a co-owner of JR Motorsports and multiple restaurants in Charlotte.
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Alex Rodriguez
Net Worth: $350 million
Long before Alex Rodriguez generated headlines for being in a relationship with Jennifer Lopez, the former baseball star became one of the highest-paid athletes of all-time. Despite his reputation as a PED (performance-enhancing drugs) user, A-Rod is considered one of the best baseball players in the history of the sport. Ahead of the 2001 season, Rodriguez signed a 10-year/$252 million contract with the Texas Rangers — the richest in baseball history at the time. In 2007, the superstar signed a 10-year/$275 million deal with the New York Yankees. Today, Rodriguez is a part-owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
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Michael Schumacher
Net Worth: $600 million
If you consider Michael Schumacher to be the best Formula One driver of all-time, I will not argue. The German racer began his F1 career in 1991 with Jordan, and soon made the switch over to Benetton. With Benetton, Schumacher finished 3rd and 4th in his first two seasons. In ’94, the German won six of the first seven races — and ultimately topped Damon Hill by one point (92-91) to win the WDC. Schumacher once again beat Hill in ’95, but this time cruised to victory with 102 points to Hill’s 69.
Schumacher joined Ferrari the following season. However, it took a few years for things to click — but boy did it click. From 2000-2004, Schumacher won five-straight WDC titles. In ’04, the German won 12 of the season’s first 13 races. At the time of his second retirement in ’12, Schumacher led F1 with 91 wins, seven WDC titles, 68 pole positions, and 155 podiums. In addition to generating a ton of money through his racing, Schumacher increased his net worth tremendously through advertising deals and sponsorships.
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Phil Mickelson
Net Worth: $400 million
Phil Mickelson has been in the news for all of the wrong reasons recently, but he still has a huge stockpile of money to turn to if he becomes upset. One of the most polarizing golfers of all-time, Mickelson has been a professional since 1992. While on the PGA Tour, Mickelson won 45 tournaments — tied for eighth-most all-time — and six major championships. In 2021, Mickelson won the PGA Championship at the age of 50 — becoming the oldest major championship winner in history. Now a member of LIV Golf, Mickelson is said to be worth $400 million.
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John Cena
Net Worth: $60 million
The man you can’t see is doing his best to follow in the footsteps of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. John Cena recently celebrated his 20th anniversary with WWE. Regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all-time, Cena is a 16-time world champion with the famed wrestling promotion. Away from the squared circle, Cena has enjoyed a nice acting career. The Massachusetts native has appeared in The Marine, Blockers, Trainwreck, and Peacemaker. Cena’s net worth is only going to grow.
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Floyd Mayweather
Net Worth: $450 million
The self-proclaimed TBE — The Best Ever — Floyd Mayweather has certainly earned the nickname ‘Money’ over the years. Arguably one of the five greatest boxers of all-time, Mayweather finished his career with a perfect 50-0 record. Through his many box office fights, Mayweather generated approximately $1.6 billion in revenue throughout his career. According to Forbes, Mayweather was the world’s highest-paid athlete in 2018 — bringing in an absurd $285 million. Mayweather is the founder of Mayweather Promotions and has a team — The Money Team Racing — in the NASCAR Cup Series.
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Magic Johnson
Net Worth: $620 million
A five-time NBA champion, three-time Finals MVP, and three-time NBA MVP as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, Magic Johnson is the greatest point guard in NBA history. Magic’s career was cut short following his public announcement of his HIV-positive status. However, the all-time great has excelled away from the court. In addition to being a former part-owner of the Lakers, Magic is currently a part-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Sparks, and LAFC. Magic also runs his own company, Magic Johnson Enterprises.
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Roger Federer
Net Worth: $550 million
Roger Federer is a legend on the tennis court. Arguably the greatest racket swinger of all-time, Federer has spent 310 weeks as the world’s No. 1 ranked player — including 237-straight weeks at one point. As of June 2022, Federer has 20 Grand Slam titles and 103 ATP titles to his name. Federer has amassed $130,594,339 in on-court earnings. Combined with his incredibly lucrative endorsement deals and various business ventures, Federer has seen his net worth climb to an estimated $550 million.
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Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson
Net Worth: $800 million
Before Dwayne Johnson became one of the biggest movie stars in the world, he was busy laying the smackdown on anyone who got in his way in the WWE. Johnson became a star when he was performing as The Rock. One of the company’s biggest stars, Johnson soon garnered Hollywood’s attention. It is safe to say that Johnson’s decision to become a movie star was a wise one. According to reports, Johnson’s films have grossed over $10.5 billion worldwide. The star co-founded his entertainment production company — Seven Bucks Production — and is co-owner of the XFL and Teremana Tequila.
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Lewis Hamilton
Net Worth: $285 million
Since his Formula One debut in 2007, the British driver has been nearly unstoppable. Sir Lewis Hamilton holds the following records: 103 wins (as of June 28, 2022), 103 pole positions, most points in a season (413), most career points, and most World Championships — tied with Schumacher at seven. Hamilton finished 2nd in his debut season while racing for McLaren, and captured his first WDC title the following year. Since joining Mercedes in ’13, Hamilton has won six more WDC titles — including four in a row and six-of-seven overall. An incredibly controversial decision prevented Hamilton from winning yet another WDC title in ’21. Regarded as one of the most influential people in the world, Hamilton is worth an estimated $285 million.
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Shaquille O’Neal
Net Worth: $400 million
Shaq is the man. He was unstoppable on the court, and he has been similarly dominant off the hardwood. A four-time NBA champion, three-time NBA Finals MVP, regular season MVP and Hall of Famer, Shaq raked in the dough during his 19-year career. In addition to being sworn in as a reserve officer for Florida’s police force, Shaq has been a permanent fixture on NBA on TNT. On the business front, Shaq is a global spokesperson for Krispy Kreme (and owns stores), once owned part of the Sacramento Kings, and is a member of Papa John’s board of directors. Shaq’s net worth will only continue to rise.
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Serena Williams
Net Worth: $210 million
Serena Williams is the greatest women’s tennis player of all-time — and there is no argument to be made for anyone else. Entering the 2022 Wimbledon tournament, Williams has won 23 Grand Slam titles and has been ranked No. 1 in the world for a total of 319 weeks. Additionally, Williams has four Olympic gold medals and 14 major women’s doubles titles playing alongside her sister, Venus. The highest-paid female athlete of all-time, Williams is currently the Chief Sporting Officer for Aston Martin — a title which only helps add to her vast net worth.
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Lionel Messi
Net Worth: $600 million
Lionel Messi, or simply Messi, is one of the all-time greats. The Argentine footballer is often mentioned in the same breath as legends such as Pele and Maradona. From 2004-2021, Messi took the pitch for Barcelona. While with the club, Messi won seven Ballon d’Or awards (given to the best player in the world). He also won 10 La Liga titles, and four Champions League titles. With Barcelona and PSG, Messi has scored 491 goals (and counting). Due to his legendary skill, Messi has been paid an obscene amount of money by his employers and business partners.
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Vince McMahon
Net Worth: $2.3 billion
The chairman and CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), Vince McMahon has an estimated net worth of $2.3 billion. In 1972, McMahon joined his father’s wrestling company as an announcer. 10 years later, McMahon bought the company from his father and soon turned it into a juggernaut. WWE brings in roughly $1 billion in annual revenue, and has television deals with giants such as Fox and NBC. Despite being 76 years old, McMahon figures to be a part of WWE’s future for years to come. At this rate, he may be worth upwards of $3 billion sooner rather than later.
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Cristiano Ronaldo
Net Worth: $500 million
For the past 15 years, the biggest argument in the football world has been: Who is better, Messi or Ronaldo? Ronaldo is one of the best players of all-time, as well. The Portuguese sensation has won five Ballon d’Or awards, five Champions League titles, one European Championship, and one Nations League title. In Champions League play, Ronaldo has scored 140 goals and notched 42 assists. With Portugal, Ronaldo has scored 117 times. All of those are records. In 2020, Ronaldo — often considered one of the most marketable athletes in the world — became the first active athlete to top $1 billion in career earnings. The money won’t dry up once he retires since Ronaldo has a lifetime deal with Nike.
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Michael Jordan
Net Worth: $1.7 billion
Michael Jordan is often considered to be the best basketball player of all-time. A six-time NBA champion and five-time MVP with the Chicago Bulls, Jordan hauled in $90 million during his playing career. A lot of money, yes. Compared to his earnings away from the court…chump change. Not only does Jordan have partnerships with corporate behemoths such as Nike, Gatorade and Hanes, but MJ also owns the Charlotte Hornets. There is not much that has to be said about Air Jordan.
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Tiger Woods
Net Worth: $1 billion
How wealthy is Tiger Woods? The legendary athlete reportedly turned down a $900 million offer to join LIV Golf and is still a billionaire. One of the most influential athletes of all-time, Woods reached No. 1 in the world rankings less than a year after turning pro. In the 25 years since, Woods has won 15 major championships and 82 PGA Tour events in total. Throughout his career, Woods has had endorsement deals with some of the biggest brands around — Nike, Gatorade, American Express, General Motors, Gillette, Electronic Arts (to name a few). Even as his competitive career winds down, Woods remains the most marketable name in golf. He’s sure to add to his net worth.
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LeBron James
Net Worth: $1 billion
On June 2, 2022, Forbes officially declared LeBron James a billionaire. An 18-time NBA All-Star, four-time NBA champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist, James earned over $121 million in 2021. While playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat, James has earned more than $385 million in salary. Off the court? His earnings are upwards of $900 million. In addition to having a lifetime deal with Nike, James has deals with PepsiCo, Walmart and AT&T (among others). James is also the largest shareholder of SpringHill — a TV and movie production company built by James and business partner Maverick Carter. James is well on his way to being a multi-billionaire.
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