According to Forbes, as of May 2022, Lionel Messi is the highest-paid athlete in the world. In 2020, he became only the second footballer ever to earn up to a billion dollars. This man does not just stack up Ballon d’Or awards and Golden Shoes, he also stacks up endless amounts of money.  Remember when his contract with FC Barcelona leaked last year? The figures of his earnings from the club alone were so shocking, that they broke the internet. No athlete playing in a team sport has ever earned up to that amount.