From Lionel Messi to Stephen Curry: Top 5 Forbes’ richest athletes of 2022

The Forbes Rich List for the year 2022 including some of the top-earning athletes in the world has been announced. Here's the top 5 richest athletes:

Argentina captain Lionel Messi tops the elusive list. The superstar footballer has total earnings of $130 million (On-Field Earnings: $75 million and the rest from off-field earnings). The Paris Saint-Germain forward continues to be one of the most-talked-about, searched, and a fan-favourite despite his career taking a downward spiral in recent times. 

LeBron James follows suit. Nicknamed "King James" and regarded as one of the all-time greats, the LA Lakers player is in the second position with total earnings of $121.2 million. The veteran's popularity remains intact and he continues to make the headlines to date.

Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portugal captain and Manchester United striker, occupies the third spot in the top five. His total earnings are a whopping $115 million as the 37-year-old remains a superstar on and off the field, despite some inconsistency in form. His on-field earnings are $60 million whereas his off-field earnings read $55 million.

Neymar, the forward for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and the Brazil national team, is in the fourth position. His total earnings have been a mammoth $95 million in 2022. 

Stephen Curry takes the fifth spot, ending above the likes of Roger Federer, Tom Brady and Conor McGregor (he was the top-earning athlete last year but became a notable absentee from the top ten this time around). 

Curry, the American basketballer who plays for the Golden State Warriors, has total earnings of $92.8 million.