The 100 long Forbes top earning athletes list was released today and it contains a few individuals with Manchester United connections. Last year, for the first time in 16 years, someone other than Tiger Woods or Floyd Mayweather topped the list and that was former Red Devil Cristiano Ronaldo.
CR7 retains the top spot this year. Lionel Messi was #2 last year, but falls one spot to #3 this year. Cleveland Cavaliers superstar Lebron James is #2.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is #30, slightly down from the #23 position last year. The larger than life Swedish striker is currently rehabilitating his knee, and isn’t expected to play again until 2018. His future with United remains uncertain, as the one year deal he signed last summer will soon expire.
Both he and his agent have expressed a desire to return to United.
Wayne Rooney, captain for both United and England, owns spot #70 falling down from #31 last year. Rooney signed the richest contract in english football history when he re-upped with Old Trafford in February of 2014. His current deal runs until 2019 but there are many who believe that his days at the Theatre of Dreams are over.
Also, MUFC superfan and world class sprinter Usain Bolt came in 23rd, down the #32 slot last year. It’s not surprising that so many players with Man United connections made the Forbes list as the club was also named the most valuable football brand in the world this week.
They have the richest clothing deal in sports franchise history, and approximately 670,000,000 fans, according to the latest surveys.
After Ronaldo, Lebron and Messi, the rest of the Forbes top ten is comprised of: Roger Federer, Kevin Durant, Andrew Luck, Rory McIlroy, Stephen Curry, James Harden and Lewis Hamilton.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes to WGN CLTV and KOZN.
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