Do you have dreams of being a pro athlete? Maybe you have a son or a daughter who has aspirations of putting on a professional team uniform one day in the future? Well if you or your child makes it that far, one thing you may never have to worry about again is money. Athletes nowadays pull in a hefty amount, even the ones who make league minimum. However, if you turn out to be the next LeBron James, Bryce Harper or Tom Brady, you can make insane money!

So who are the top paid sports figures in the world? Let’s break it down. While Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers are early NFL MVP favorites, they didn't make this list.

Floyd is No. 1

1. Floyd Mayweather, $285 million (Boxing) -- The highest-paid athlete over the past year was boxer Floyd Mayweather. According to a recent report from Time, Mayweather recently knocked soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo out of the top spot.

2. Lionel Messi, $111 million (Soccer) -- The Argentine professional footballer made an eye-raising $111 million last year, making him the highest-paid soccer player in the world - for now!

3. Cristiano Ronaldo, $108 million (Soccer) -- Right behind Messi is Ronaldo. A member of the Portugal national football team, Ronaldo is one of the most popular players in soccer.

4. Conor McGregor, $99 million (Boxing) -- The MMA giant gained more popularity, and more money, following his August 27, 2017 fight with champion Floyd Mayweather.

McGregor is one of the most famous and recognizable athletes in the world today.

5. Neymar, $90 million (Soccer) -- When you are known by just one name, you know you have arrived! The current Brazilian star is one of the most popular players in the game. He is also one of the top earners in soccer.

6. LeBron James, $85.5 million (Basketball) -- Either you love LeBron or hate LeBron.

Either way, James is the face of the NBA, and his paychecks make him one of the top paid athletes in the world. Forbes has James at $85.5 million.

7. Roger Federer, $77.2 million (Tennis) -- You can’t talk about men’s tennis without starting with Federer. The Swiss star is ranked No. 2 in the world and currently sits at No.

7 in biggest paychecks earned over the past year.

8. Stephen Curry, $76.9 million (Basketball) -- The Golden State Warriors star has risen through the NBA ranks to become one of the best in the game. Curry raked in a cool $76 million over the past year, along with his third NBA title.

9. Matt Ryan, $67.3 million (Football) -- The NFL money opportunities for quarterbacks are insane, just ask Matt Ryan. Ryan recently inked a five-year, $150 million contract extension with $100 million guaranteed.

10. Matthew Stafford, $59.5 million (Football) -- Matt Stafford, whose coach won't get suspended, would become a legend in Detroit if he could lead the Lions to their first Super Bowl. Either way, Stafford will never be penniless.

The Detroit Free Press indicated that Stafford's $135 million deal made him the highest-paid player in the NFL back in 2017, however, the latest Matt Ryan deal pushed Stafford down to third place behind Ryan and Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins.
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