Real's Ronaldo world's second richest athlete
Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo has been named the second best-paid sportsman in the world by US magazine Forbes, clocking up earnings of $80 million (€64 million) a year.
Ronaldo was ranked as the top footballer in Forbes list of the world's highest-paid athletes, beating Barcelona rival Leo Messi who came 4th with annual earnings of $64.7 million.
Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. comfortably topped the list with $105 million. "Money" Mayweather pocketed $41.5 million for a single fight against Mexican Saúl 'Canelo' Álvarez in September 2013 but has announced plans to retire from the ring in 2015 to concentrate on his Mayweather Promotions brand.
Third place was taken by American basketball player and 'king of the NBA' LeBron James who earned $72.3 million.
SEE ALSO: Top memes - Ronaldo celebrates Champions League victory
The best paid Spaniard on the list was tennis player Rafa Nadal who was ranked 9th globally with earnings of $44.5 million. The 28-year-old is currently recovering in Barcelona after undergoing an appendectomy operation on Monday but hopes to return to action in January.
The other Spaniards in the top 100 were Formula 1 star Fernando Alonso (21st place, $32 million), basketball player Pau Gasol (57th place, $21.8 million) and footballer Fernando Torres (63rd place, $21.3 million).
Ronaldo performed poorly in Madrid's win over Liverpool in Tuesday night's Champions League tie but will today receive a Golden Boot award as the joint-top scorer in a European domestic league for the 31 goals he notched up during the 2013-2014 season.
He will share the award with Luis Suarez who played for Liverpool during the same period but has now signed for Madrid's arch-rivals Barcelona.
Ronaldo has won the Golden Boot on two previous occasions.
The highest ranked woman on the Forbes list was Maria Sharapova at number 34.
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Ronaldo was ranked as the top footballer in Forbes list of the world's highest-paid athletes, beating Barcelona rival Leo Messi who came 4th with annual earnings of $64.7 million.
Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. comfortably topped the list with $105 million. "Money" Mayweather pocketed $41.5 million for a single fight against Mexican Saúl 'Canelo' Álvarez in September 2013 but has announced plans to retire from the ring in 2015 to concentrate on his Mayweather Promotions brand.
Third place was taken by American basketball player and 'king of the NBA' LeBron James who earned $72.3 million.
SEE ALSO: Top memes - Ronaldo celebrates Champions League victory
The best paid Spaniard on the list was tennis player Rafa Nadal who was ranked 9th globally with earnings of $44.5 million. The 28-year-old is currently recovering in Barcelona after undergoing an appendectomy operation on Monday but hopes to return to action in January.
The other Spaniards in the top 100 were Formula 1 star Fernando Alonso (21st place, $32 million), basketball player Pau Gasol (57th place, $21.8 million) and footballer Fernando Torres (63rd place, $21.3 million).
Ronaldo performed poorly in Madrid's win over Liverpool in Tuesday night's Champions League tie but will today receive a Golden Boot award as the joint-top scorer in a European domestic league for the 31 goals he notched up during the 2013-2014 season.
He will share the award with Luis Suarez who played for Liverpool during the same period but has now signed for Madrid's arch-rivals Barcelona.
Ronaldo has won the Golden Boot on two previous occasions.
The highest ranked woman on the Forbes list was Maria Sharapova at number 34.
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