Cristiano Ronaldo has become the highest earning athlete in the world after raking in a cool £61million in the last year alone. It is the first time since 2001 that an athlete other than Mayweather Jnr or golfer Tiger Woods topped the earning league.


The superstar footballer usurped long-term leader Floyd Mayweather Jnr into first place. The retired boxer, who fought just once in the last 12 months, earned £30million. 

Ronaldo's monster pay-packet was the result of his mouth-watering £38.5million-a-year salary with Spanish giants Real Madrid and endorsement deals with the likes of Nike, watchmaker Tag Heuer and nutrition supplements group Herbalife - themselves worth £22million. 

His footballing rival Lionel Messi - who the 31-year-old beat to be crowned the World Player of the Year in January - was second on the list, taking home £56million in 2015/16.