Cristiano Ronaldo has become the highest paid athlete in history after completing his record-breaking move to Saudi side Al-Nassr.

Ronaldo confirmed his move to the Saudi Arabian side on a sensational £175million-a-year contract following his tumultuous exit from Manchester United in November.

The lucrative deal will see him surpass his long-term rival Lionel Messi and NBA stars such as Lebron James to become the highest paid athlete in the world.

According to the official 'Forbes Highest-Paid Athletes 2022 List', Lionel Messi had been the top earner of the year prior to Ronaldo's sensational Saudi switch.

The PSG star earns £103.4m per year meaning he is currently top of the Forbes list, and he will be dwarfed in salary by his old rival Ronaldo.

Closely followed behind Messi was LA Lakers star Lebron James, who is the first-ever player to accumulate $1bn in earnings as an active player in the league.

James is also a partner in Fenway Sports Group, meaning he is a part owner in several sporting teams including Liverpool - he earns £101.4m per year.