World's Biggest Sports Stars Earn Massive Paychecks

From Prescott to Messi, the top athletes command the highest salaries globally.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 5:26am

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The world's most famous and successful athletes, including NFL quarterback Dak Prescott, soccer legend Lionel Messi, and MLB phenom Shohei Ohtani, are earning record-breaking salaries and endorsement deals that dwarf the incomes of even other elite professional sports stars. Factors like global popularity, on-field performance, and lucrative sponsorship agreements contribute to these athletes commanding the highest paychecks in their respective leagues.

Why it matters

The astronomical salaries of top athletes like Prescott, Messi, and Ohtani have sparked debates about pay equity and whether these stars are truly worth more than other elite players, team owners, and even entire franchise budgets. As the business of professional sports continues to grow, the financial rewards for the most marketable athletes have skyrocketed, raising questions about the sustainability and fairness of the current compensation models.

The details

The world's highest-paid athletes are earning staggering sums through a combination of multi-million dollar contracts, endorsement deals, and other revenue streams. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott recently signed a 6-year, $258 million contract, making him one of the NFL's highest-paid players. Soccer icon Lionel Messi, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain, earns over $130 million per year in salary and bonuses. And two-way MLB star Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels has endorsement deals worth over $50 million annually on top of his $30 million playing contract.

  • Dak Prescott signed his 6-year, $258 million contract with the Dallas Cowboys in March 2026.
  • Lionel Messi joined Paris Saint-Germain in August 2021 on a reported 2-year, $260 million deal.
  • Shohei Ohtani signed a 5-year, $150 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Angels in November 2024.

The players

Dak Prescott

The star quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, known for his prolific passing and rushing abilities.

Lionel Messi

Widely considered one of the greatest soccer players of all time, the Argentine forward currently plays for Paris Saint-Germain.

Shohei Ohtani

A two-way MLB star who pitches and hits for the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani is the first player in decades to excel at both hitting and pitching at an elite level.

Alex Ovechkin

The longtime captain and star forward of the Washington Capitals hockey team.

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What they’re saying

“It is often the case that the most famous athletes in the world are the highest paid. After all, they command the most eyeballs, generate more attention than their team-mates, and tend to have the most lucrative endorsement deals.”

— Dan Sheldon, Sports Writer

“Player X is good, but does he deserve to make more than (Washington Capitals star) Alex Ovechkin?”

— Anonymous

The takeaway

The astronomical salaries of the world's top athletes like Prescott, Messi, and Ohtani highlight the immense financial rewards available to the most famous and successful sports stars. However, these outsized paychecks have sparked debates about pay equity, the sustainability of the current compensation models, and whether these athletes are truly worth more than other elite players, team owners, and even entire franchise budgets.