It might come as no surprise that the highest-earning athlete of the past year plays the world's favorite sport: soccer (er, football). But Forbes' 2017 list of the world's highest-paid athletes reveals a few surprises about the people who make all of that money, the sports they play and the sources of those massive paychecks.
Cristiano Ronaldo: international superstar soccer player and, even his opponents will admit, one of the best to ever play. Ronaldo plays internationally for Portugal and at the club level for the frequent champions, Real Madrid. Championships and spectacular skills brought Ronaldo a giant $93 million this year.
You'd be forgiven for guessing that his rival, Lionel Messi, is #2 on the list. But second place goes to an athlete who's certainly tired of being in second place. Lebron James, star basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers and, many will say, also one of the best to every play. Even after losing in a thrilling five-game NBA Finals to Stephen Curry's Warriors, Lebron is going home with $86.2 million on the year. Not bad for second place.
Messi, Argentina forward and Barcelona phenom, comes in just behind James at $80 million. It's no wonder that these three top the list, but their money comes from surprisingly different places.
