Cristiano Ronaldo has topped Forbes' list of highest-paid athletes for the fourth time in his career.Ronaldo became the world's highest-paid athlete after his move to Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr and Forbes said the 39-year-old's estimated total earnings were around $260m - an all-time high for a football player.His on-field earnings amounted to $200m while off-field he earned $60m thanks to sponsorship deals where brands make use of his 629 million Instagram followers.
Third on the list is record eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi, who switched to Major League Soccer team Inter Miami, which helped the Argentine World Cup winner earn $135m .The 36-year-old earned $65m in on-field earnings but $70m off it from deals with major sponsors such as Adidas and Apple.Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James came in fourth at $128m , while fellow NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks made fifth with $111m .