Show Me the Money! International Soccer Player Pay vs. American Athletes

Fortune Magazine has put forth the top 20 highest earning international athletes and it so happens that ten of those are soccer players. In light of the fact that the World Cup competition is now the main sporting event on the planet, below is a list of the top ten highest paid soccer players and how they compare to the top ten American athletes. Earnings comprise salary, bonuses, purses, tournament winnings and endorsements. All total compensation listed are calculated in pre-tax dollars.

Overall the International soccer players fared quite well against the Americans. Even though Boxing Champ Floyd Mayweather led all athletes with $105,000 in earnings, number two and three on the list were soccer standouts Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi both pulling in about $75,000,000 over the last year.

International Soccer Players:

 

1. Cristiano Ronaldo             Portugal                       $75,577,500
2. Lionel Messi                     Argentina                     $74,776,470
3. Neymar                           Brazil                           $37,828,600
4. Gareth Bale                      England                       $32,236,080
5. Wayne Rooney                 England                        $29,236,080
6. Radamel FAlcao               Columbia                      $27,457,660
7. Zlatan Ibrahimovic           Sweden                         $23,509,500
8. Sergio Aguero                 Argentina                      $21,532,320
9. Yaya Toure                     Ivory Coast                    $20,800,000
10. Fernando Torres              Spain                            $18,111,900

 6/17/2014American Athletes:

1. Floyd Mayweather              Boxing                        $105,000,000
2. LeBron James                    Basketball                    $57,067,500
3. Kobe Bryant                       Basketball                    $50,453,805
4. Aaron Rodgers                   Football                       $45,800,000
5. Peyton Manning                  Football                       $37,500,000
6. Phil Mickelson                     Golf                            $37,221,975
7. Tiger Woods                       Golf                            $35,500,758
8. Tom Brady                         Football                       $35,000,000
9. Derrick Rose                       Basketball                    $34,632,688
10. Matthew Stafford                 Football                       $33,000,000