Michael Jordan beats Tiger Woods and Cristiano Ronaldo to top spot on list of best paid athletes EVER – but how does LeBron James compare to soccer stars Lionel Messi and David Beckham?

Michael Jordan has surpassed Tiger Woods and Cristiano Ronaldo to become the highest-paid athlete of all time. But how is LeBron James different from soccer stars Lionel Messi and David Beckham?

Michael Jordan is the highest-paid athlete of all time, earning more than $1 billion during his career, adjusted for inflation, than any other athlete. Jordan only made $94 million through NBA contracts during his time with the Bulls and Wizards, but he made the money through off-the-court endorsements and marquee contracts.

Jordan is just one of nine athletes in history to earn more than $1 billion before adjusting for inflation, and the basketball legend also tops the list of historic earnings before inflation with $2.7 billion. . The numbers for each athlete are published by Sportico, with Jordan benefiting greatly from more than 20 years away from the sport and increased investment.