I just looked at the list of the richest athletes in the world and I’m really surprised at how much Michael Jordan dominates the competition. With 3.6 billion, he’s far ahead – that’s crazy considering he’s been retired for years.

What fascinates me even more: Who is the richest athlete in different categories? Among footballers, Cristiano Ronaldo clearly leads with 1.2 billion, followed by Messi with 850 million. The two simply earn in a different league. Then come NBA stars like LeBron and Shaq – both in the 500-800 million range.

It’s also interesting that many of the wealthiest athletes have earned their money not only through their sport but through business ventures afterward. Jordan with his sneaker deals, Magic Johnson with his investments – this shows that the right business idea often yields more than the career itself.

The numbers are, of course, just estimates, but the trend is clear: To end up as the richest athlete in the world, you need not only talent but also good business sense.