Khaberni - Over more than three decades, sporting stardom is no longer measured only by the number of titles and championships, but has also become dependent on the size of financial returns, amid inflated broadcasting rights, expanded commercial sponsorship, and the rise of personal brand empires of the stars.
From Mike Tyson in the 1990s, through golf legend Tiger Woods, to the historic financial dominance of Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, these figures paint a precise map of the global sports economy transformations.
Forbes magazine published data on the astronomical change in athletes' salaries since 1990 until 2026.
The era of boxing and basketball.. The strong beginnings (1990 – 1998)
The first spark came from the world of boxing, where Mike Tyson dominated the scene in 1990 with earnings of $28.6 million, before being succeeded by Evander Holyfield in 1991 with then a record income of $60.5 million.
But the real transformation came with basketball legend Michael Jordan, who dominated the top spot between 1992 and 1998, peaking in 1997 with $78.3 million. During this period, Jordan established the “athlete-brand” model, thanks to his legendary partnership with "Nike" and the "Air Jordan" brand.
Woods and Schumacher’s Dominance (1999 – 2011)
With the turn of the millennium, Formula 1 star Michael Schumacher topped the charts in 1999 and 2000, before giving way to an unprecedented golden era for American star Tiger Woods.
Woods led the list 9 times over 11 years, achieving record figures that surpassed $115 million in 2008, becoming the first athlete to turn golf into a global commercial industry, driven by sponsorship contracts, broadcasting rights, and media appearances.
The era of major fights.. Mayweather shatters the records
Boxing entered a new phase with American Floyd Mayweather, who created a real financial revolution with his “pay-per-view” policy.
He recorded a historical peak in 2015 with astonishing revenues of $300 million, then returned in 2018 with $285 million, confirming that major fights had become a true gold mine.
Ronaldo, Messi, and Federer change the rules of the game
Since 2016, football began to dominate the top of the list, led by Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo, who came back strongly in recent years, recording historic figures of $260 million in 2024, then $275 million in 2025.
Argentine legend Lionel Messi also made a strong presence in 2019 and 2022, while Swiss tennis star Roger Federer made a significant financial leap in 2020 with $106.3 million.
The biggest surprise came from mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor, who earned $180 million in 2021.
