Forbes name Cristiano Ronaldo world's highest-earning sportsman for 2016

Cristiano Ronaldo is that the world's highest-earning athlete, in line with Forbes' Sports cash Index. The Real Madrid forward's 2016 earnings square measure listed as £70.5m within the study, attenuated into £44.8m in remuneration and prize

and £25.6m in endorsements. His long-time rival because the world's greatest player, Lionel Messi, comes in second within the list with £65.2m with NBA star LeBron James third prior to Australian Open champion Roger Federer.

Forbes Sports Money Index 2016, top 20 athletes:

1) Cristiano Ronaldo, football, £70.5m

2) Lionel Messi, football, £65.2m

3) LeBron James, basketball, £61.8m

4) Roger Federer, tennis, £54.3m

5) Kevin Durant, basketball, £45m

6) Novak Djokovic, tennis, £44.7m

7) Cam Newton, American football, £42.5m

8) Phil Mickelson, golf, £42.4m

9) Jordan Spieth, golf, £42.3m

10) Kobe Bryant, basketball, £40m

11) Lewis Hamilton, Formula One, £36.8m

12) Tiger Woods, golf, £36.3m

13) Eli Manning, American football, £36m

14) Joe Flacco, American football, £35.6m

15) Tom Brady, American football, £35.3m

16) Floyd Mayweather, boxing, £35.2m

17) Rory McIlroy, golf, £34.1m

18) Russell Wilson, American football, £33.5m

19) Sebastian Vettel, Formula One, £32.8m

20) Philip Rivers, American football, £30.4m