Over the last decade, the world of sports has witnessed transfers and contracts involving millions of euros. Brands and advertising changed the game, and nowadays top athletes are not only sports stars, but also market values.
Here are some of the most expensive contracts of recent years, in different sports.
Leonel Messi
Football
In 2017, Messi signed the biggest contract ever in the world of sports. The F.C. Barcelona renewed the contract with the Argentine star for around 620 million euros for a four-year contract.
Patrick Mahomes
American Football
The American football quarterback extended his contract, in 2020, with Kansas City Chiefs: he signed a ten-year extension worth 438 million euros with another 24 million euros in potential bonuses for a total of 462 million euros contract.
Canelo Álvarez
Boxing
The Mexican professional boxer, also known as Canelo (“Cinnamon”), signed a five-year contract with DAZN, a global sports streaming service – they paid 335 million euros for the rights to broadcast, in the U.S., 11 consecutive fights of the athlete.
Max Verstappen
Formula One
The Belgian-Dutch racing driver signed in March 2022 a five-year contract extension with Red Bull Racing for the 2023 to 2028 seasons, after winning two consecutive Formula One championships. A contract value of 253 million euros.
Nikola Jokic
Basketball
The Serbian professional basket agreed to a five-year 243 million euros contract extension with the Denver Nuggets, making it the richest deal in NBA history.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Football
We couldn’t end this article without mentioning this record-breaking contract. Cristiano Ronaldo, 37, was officially confirmed as a player for Al Nassr, in Saudi Arabia, with a contract until 2025.
In a whopping amount that translates into earnings of 386 euros per minute, he will receive 200 million euros per season, including salary (calculated at 70 million annually), image rights and commercial agreements, in the most valuable contract in the history of world sport.
He will earn a total of 500 million euros in two and a half years, slightly less than the total that Messi received from Barcelona, but over a four-season contract between 2017 and 2021.
From football, American football, boxing, Formula One, and basketball, these contracts demonstrate the significant financial investment made in the world of sports, with some reaching staggering amounts such as 620 million euros for Messi and 462 million euros for Mahomes. Regardless of the sport, it is clear that the top athletes in their respective fields are commanding high salaries and significant investments from teams and brands.
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