Cristiano Ronaldo has strengthened his position as the world’s highest-paid athlete after topping Forbes’ global earnings list for a sixth time, including four consecutive years at the number one spot.

According to Forbes on Sunday, the 41-year-old Portuguese forward now ranks among the most consistently high-earning athletes in sporting history, alongside NBA legend Michael Jordan, who led the list six times, and golf icon Tiger Woods, who topped it 11 times.

The report noted that Ronaldo’s latest achievement further cements his long-standing dominance in global sports earnings, stating that his six-time feat ties him with Michael Jordan for the second-most appearances at No. 1 since the ranking began in 1990.

Forbes also revealed that Ronaldo’s 2026 earnings place him in an elite financial category, matching boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s 2015 record for the highest annual earnings ever recorded for an active athlete, based on available data since 1990 (unadjusted for inflation).

The publication highlighted his sustained run at the top, noting his four consecutive years as the world’s highest-paid athlete and six total career rankings at number one.

Despite a changing global sports economy increasingly shaped by younger athletes, Ronaldo continues to dominate the upper tier of global earnings alongside veteran stars such as LeBron James and Lewis Hamilton, both also aged 41.

More than half of the athletes in the top 50 are now under 30, reflecting a generational shift in global sports, but Ronaldo remains the standout figure at the top of the list.

For 2026, Ronaldo leads the rankings with estimated total earnings of $300 million, ahead of a group of global stars across boxing, basketball, baseball, golf, and Formula 1.

Top 10 Highest-Paid Athletes (2026 – Forbes):

Cristiano Ronaldo (Soccer) — $300 million

Canelo Álvarez (Boxing) — $170 million

Lionel Messi (Soccer) — $140 million

LeBron James (Basketball) — $137.8 million

Shohei Ohtani (Baseball) — $127.6 million

Stephen Curry (Basketball) — $124.7 million

Jon Rahm (Golf) — $107 million

Karim Benzema (Soccer) — $104 million

Kevin Durant (Basketball) — $103.8 million

Lewis Hamilton (Formula 1) — $100 million