Who can forget the saga between Mexican boxer Canelo Alvarez and Lionel Messi during the Qatar World Cup? Although Messi remained unresponsive all throughout, Alvarez went over the line and threatened the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner. It ended with Alvarez apologizing to Messi and congratulating him after winning World Cup.

Forbes published the list of the top 10 highest-paid athletes recently. Lionel Messi made the list at No. 2, while the Mexican boxer is at No.5. But what has caught the eye is the earnings made by the two from the endorsements. 

Lionel Messi dwarfs the endorsement earnings of Canelo Alvarez

As per Forbes, Lionel Messi makes a whopping $130 million a year from salary and endorsements. The Argentine’s yearly salary is around $65 million, and he makes the remaining $65 million from endorsements. His major sponsorship deals are the ones with Adidas, Budweiser, and PepsiCo. However, the one deal that catches the eye is Socios.com.

Messi became the first global ambassador of a blockchain-based fan platform last year. He signed a three-year deal with Socios.com that pays Messi a massive $20 million a year. It is almost 30% of his total endorsements. On the other hand, Canelo Alvarez ranks fifth in the recent Forbes list with $110 million in total earnings. 

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Alvarez is not known to have many traditional endorsements. He makes only $10 million from endorsements. It is way too less compared to Messi ($65 million). Messi’s Socio.com earnings alone are double that of the Mexican boxer’s total earnings. Messi is also subject to one of the most massive offers in the sport’s history.

Days After $438 Million Sports History’s Richest Offer, Al Hilal Coach Fires a 4-Word Response to Signing Lionel Messi

Saudi Arabian club has made an offer of $438 million a year. Al Hilal is actively seeking the World Cup winner, who is approaching free agency this June. It looks like Messi is all set to leave PSG, and many clubs are ready to sign the superstar. But not many have offered the sums offered by Al Hilal.

Three soccer superstars in the Forbes list

The recent list published by Forbes includes three soccer superstars earning a nine-figure income. Al Nassr talisman Cristiano Ronaldo tops the list with $136 million in earnings. Two PSG superstars complete the top three.

The next on the list is PSG superstar Lionel Messi ($130 million), followed by Kylian Mbappe ($120 million). Of the three, Mbappe earns the most in salary ($100 million), with Ronaldo the least ($46 million). However, his reported $75 million salary at Al Nassr would take the Portuguese to new heights next year. 

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Let us know your thoughts on the Forbes list, with three soccer superstars making it to the top three ahead of the likes of LeBron James.