{"id":301823,"date":"2023-12-08T17:53:54","date_gmt":"2023-12-08T17:53:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/?p=301823"},"modified":"2023-12-08T17:53:54","modified_gmt":"2023-12-08T17:53:54","slug":"jon-rahm-to-embarrass-cristiano-ronaldo-as-new-worlds-richest-athlete-emerges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/golf\/jon-rahm-to-embarrass-cristiano-ronaldo-as-new-worlds-richest-athlete-emerges\/","title":{"rendered":"Jon Rahm to embarrass Cristiano Ronaldo as new world’s richest athlete emerges"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jon Rahm completes LIV Golf switch<\/h3>\n

Jon Rahm’s confirmed move to LIV has done more than rock the world of golf, it has shaken up the hierarchy of sport’s highest earners as well. The Spanish world No. 3 confirmed his defection from the PGA Tour to the Saudi-funded breakaway league on Thursday and although the\u00a0Ryder Cup\u00a0star would not be drawn on exactly how much he is being paid to make the switch, reports are suggesting that he could be set to receive as much as \u00a3476m in a offer that is simply too good to turn down.<\/p>\n

Even if that mooted figure turns out to be slightly overestimated, Rahm has undoubtedly still become the highest-paid athlete in the world overnight, by a country mile.<\/p>\n

Before the popular golfer put pen to paper on his life-changing contract,\u00a0Cristiano Ronaldo\u00a0was the highest-paid sportsperson on planet Earth, with an estimated income of \u00a3136m. But the total that Rahm will pocket is more than three times the amount that the Portuguese legend currently earns. As a result, Ronaldo has been unceremoniously knocked off his perch into second place, with\u00a0Lionel Messi\u00a0(\u00a3130m) down to third.<\/p>\n

Ronaldo shot to the top of the list when he completed his ultra-lucrative move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr on December 30, 2022. Messi turned down an offer to follow his long-standing rival to the Middle East and instead chose to join\u00a0MSL\u00a0club Inter Miami.<\/p>\n

Other global higher-earners in the top 10 include\u00a0Paris Saint-Germain\u00a0forward\u00a0Kylian Mbappe\u00a0(\u00a3120m), NBA legend\u00a0LeBron James\u00a0(\u00a3119.5m) and boxer Canelo Alvarez (\u00a3110m).<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Rahm’s new LIV Golf peers Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson are the only other two golfers who make it into the top 10, ranked seventh and eighth with earnings of \u00a3106m and \u00a3107m respectively, according to Forbes.<\/p>\n

Basketball star Stephen Curry is ninth on the list with earnings of just over \u00a3100m and although he has now retired, tennis all-time great\u00a0Roger Federer\u00a0still sneaks into the top 10 thanks to a \u00a395m income.<\/p>\n

Rahm now finds himself out on his own at the top of the pack, something that seemed unfathomable a few months ago, especially after comments he made about the prospect of joining LIV at the\u00a0US Open\u00a0back in June.<\/p>\n

Don’t miss… <\/strong>
Jon Rahm quadruples earnings as LIV switch earns Masters champion \u00a3450m[BIG MONEY] <\/strong>
Jon Rahm leaves PGA Tour shellshocked after ‘signing’ \u00a3450m LIV Golf deal[SHELLSHOCKED] <\/strong>
LIV Golf announces huge roster move that will delight Brooks Koepka[ROSTER MOVE] <\/strong><\/p>\n