I just came across the ranking of the richest athletes in the world, and honestly, some of the figures are just shocking. Michael Jordan with $3.6 billion in first place – that's understandable, the basketball legend earned not only from the game but also from his brand. But what's interesting is that the top includes not only modern stars like Ronaldo ($1.2 billion) or Messi ($850 million), but also those who have long retired.

LeBron James, Roger Federer, David Beckham – all of them are worth hundreds of millions. And the wealthiest athletes are often not those who earned the most at the peak of their careers, but those who invested well and built their own businesses. Apparently, when you're a superstar, you can monetize literally everything – from endorsements to owning teams and brands.

The richest athletes often own teams or invest in sports businesses. For example, Magic Johnson and Shaquille O'Neal – both on the list, both have stakes in various sports projects. Interestingly, the top is full of Americans, but there are Europeans and South Americans as well. The figures are rounded and estimated, but even so, it’s impressive what wealth sportspeople accumulate.