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13. Lionel Messi
Earnings: $74M
Athlete, Soccer
In 2014, Barcelona awarded their record four-time FIFA player of the year with a $9 million a year raise in his 7th contract since 2005 to bring his take home pay to $50 million a year through 2018. The Argentine holds records for most goals in Barca competitions, most goals in La Liga competitions, most goals scored in a calendar year and most hat tricks scored. His superhuman talent is why sponsor Samsung cast him as superhero Iron Man in their ad to promote the Avengers film. It’s also why his main sponsor Adidas launched a Messi icon line of shoes and apparel which has exceeded company sales expectations, including in the U.S.
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