Neymar, Ronaldo and Messi all feature in top ten highest paid sportsmen

In fact, the trio of footballers all make the top five, showing the unbelievable amount of money there is in football, not only from the clubs themselves, but also the marketing and sponsorship involved with the sport.

Neymar is in fifth place in the top ten. It is estimated that the Brazilian has an income of $90 million, jumping 13 places up from last year's list. This is clearly due to his bumper deal with new club PSG, who splashed out heavily to make him the most expensive signing of all time.

Ronaldo, who has been atop the list for the past two years, actually drops to third this year, although $108 million in one year is nothing to be sniffed at.

Messi pips him this time, due to the contract extension he signed with Barcelona recently. This means that his salary and bonus are over $80 million before taxes, and this added to other income and endorsements take his yearly income to $111 million.

Although a footballer has been top for the past two years, this time the highest paid athlete in the world is actually Floyd Mayweather, who brought home a whopping $275 million this year, due to his big fight against Conor McGregor, who is fourth in the top ten.