Michael Jordan named richest athlete; Lionel Messi comes in eighth as per Forbes

Basketball legend, Michael Jordan was named the richest athlete in the world for the calendar year of 2022, ahead the likes of Gold superstar, Tiger Woods and Paris Saint-Germain icon, Lionel Messi.

Jordan who is widely considered as the greatest player to grace the Basketball court, remains one of the most marketable sportspersons in the world despite retiring back in 2003 with the 58-year-old signed lucrative deals with top brands such as Nike, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Gatorade, and Chevrolet

As per Forbes, the former Chicago Bulls star is currently worth a staggering $2.2billion, which makes him the richest athlete in the world. Despite Messi's status as arguably the greatest player in the history of football, the 34-year-old ranks only eighth on the list with a net worth of $600m.

The seven-time Ballon d'Or award winner is the only footballer in the top 10 list, with his long-time rival and Manchester United superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo coming in 12th with a career net worth of $500m, while former England skipper, David Beckham found himself placed in 14th with a net worth of $450m.

Top 10 richest athletes in the world as per Wealthy Gorilla.

1. Michael Jordan (Basketball): $2.2bn

2. Vince McMahon (Wrestling): $1.6bn

3. Ion Tiriac (Tennis, Ice Hockey): $1.2bn

4. Anna Kasprzak (Dressage rider): $1bn

5. Tiger Woods (Golf): $800m

6. Eddie Jordan (Racing Driver): $600m

7. Junior Bridgeman (Basketball): $600m

8. Lionel Messi (Football): $600m

9. Magic Johnson (Basketball): $600m

10. Michael Schumacher (Racing Driver): $600m