2021 richest athletes in the world, ranked by net worth

There's a decent chance if you asked Shaq to film a commercial with you in your basement, he'd come, so long as he left with a worthwhile amount of money. One of the most dominant big men in NBA history, O'Neal made more than $285 million as a player, and has found quite a bit of post-career success. Shaq can currently be seen on ads for The General and Goldbond, but has also been part of endorsements with Burger King, Pepsi and Reebok, among others. It's also fair to assume that O'Neal commands a pretty hefty salary for his work on TBS' "Inside the NBA."

Beckham is a mogul in the sport, having won 10 domestic league championships during his 19-year playing career. Beckham is part of the ownership group and currently serves as the president of soccer operations for Inter Miami CF, who joined the MLS in 2020. For good measure, his wife, Victoria, is also estimated to be worth $450 million.

It's only a matter of time before James is a billionaire. LeBron entered the NBA at age 18, and has made over $387 million in his career to this point. He's under contract through the 2022-23 season with the Los Angeles Lakers, and has a shoe deal believed to be worth over $1 billion with Nike. The four-time NBA MVP collected $30 million from Apple when they purchased Beats By Dre in 2014, a company in which James had a 1% stake in. James is currently estimated to make $100 million per calendar year when you combine his NBA salary and other endorsements/investments, which means he figures to continue to rise on this list.

Having previously played for Sporting CP, Manchester United and Real Madrid, the 36-year-old is entering his fourth season with Juventus. Ronaldo is believed to make between $100 and $150 million in a given year when you combine his playing salary and endorsement deals, per Celebrity Net Worth.

Bridgeman averaged 13.6 points per game during his 12-year NBA career, but the majority of his earnings came after he stopped playing. As noted above, Bridgeman acquired much of his wealth through owning local Wendys and Chilis, which he sold in 2016. He's since also become a bottler for Coca-Cola and bought the magazine Ebony, so the 67-year-old continues to seek out new challenges in the business world.

Staubach tops Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and all current or former NFL quarterbacks in terms of wealth, but it comes with a caveat - his post-career earnings trounce what he made as the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys in the 1970s. After founding his own real estate company late in his playing career, Staubach sold it for more than $600 million in 2008. Now 78, Staubach is believed to be the wealthiest current or former NFL player of all time.

As part of his new contract with Paris Saint-Germain, ESPN reported that Messi will earn "between $35 and $41 million" per year on a two-year pact that includes an option for a third year. This comes after the Argentinian star scored 474 goals and added in 193 assists in 17 seasons with Barcelona. Messi also has an endorsement deal with Addidas.

It's crazy to think about, but Johnson made less than $40 million during one of the most dominant playing careers ever. No problem, Johnson has used his incredible personal skills and smarts to find a ton of business success. Celebrity Net Worth says that Magic Johnson Enterprises is worth more than $1 billion, and he's part of the ownership group for the defending World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Johnson has sold equity in the Lakers, along with quite a large investment in Starbucks. Johnson has had one of the more interesting lives you can imagine, and has made his fair share of money in the process.

Viewed by many as the greatest player in NBA history, Jordan has turned his basketball acumen into a multi-billion dollar enterprise. The six-time NBA Champion made over $90 million as a player and makes $130 million a year from Nike, as part of his iconic "Air Jordan" brand. Not only does Jordan own his hometown Charlotte Hornets, but 23XI racing with NASCAR star Denny Hamlin.

Here's a wild card. It turns out that the richest athlete in the world is a footballer, but not Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, neither of whom come from royal families. Bolkiah, 23, currently plays for Marítimo in Portugal.