Indian captain Virat Kohli has managed to maintain a spot in the recently announced Forbes’s annual list of the world’s 100 highest-paid athletes, following a total earning of whopping $25 million. Ranked 100th in the list, Kohli is not only the sole Indian in the chart but is also in the only cricketer in the tally, which is topped by the Lionel Messi following the earnings of $127 million.
Kohli’s earnings are bifurcated in two ways. While he has earned $4 million from his salary and winnings, $21 million have come from his endorsement deals, which includes the likes of Myntra, Himalaya, Google Duo, Puma and American Tourister to name a few. Kohli, who till date is the number 1 ODI and Test batsman, is leading India at the ICC 2019 Cricket World Cup. And having won two of their three games (one abandoned), his team’s next job lies ahead of India’s arch nemesis Pakistan at Old Trafford in Manchester on Sunday.
It is for the second year running that the 30-year-old has landed a spot in the list, having acquired 83rd position in previous year’s announcement.
Meanwhile, as many as 25 different countries have been represented in the list, which is actually a jump from the last year (22 countries). The United States outclasses everyone with 62 representatives, while the likes of the UK, Spain and France have their respective numbers as well. Brazil, Germany, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Serbia and Venezuela have two players each. And the list is majorly dominated by the soccer players, footballers and basketball players.
Forbes estimates the figures earned between June 1, 2018, and June 1, 2019.
Feature image courtesy: AFP / Dibyangshu Sarkar
