'HE' IS THE ONLY INDIAN CRICKETER TO BE ON THE LIST OF WORLD'S 100 HIGHEST-PAID ATHLETES

After team India performing well at the World Cup 2019 matches, fans are overjoyed and can't wait for the team to bring the cup. But before that big day could happen, captain Virat Kohli has made the country proud by becoming the only Indian and the only cricketer to have a place in Forbes 2019 list of world's 100 highest-paid athletes.

Forbes on Monday released its annual sports rich list with Virat Kohli occupying the last place.

As per Indian Express report, Kohli is last on the list of top-100 athletes, headed by Barcelona and Argentina football superstar Lionel Messi. According to the Forbes list, Kohli estimated earnings is USD 21m from endorsements and USD 4m from salary and winnings, taking his total tally to USD25m for the last 12 months.

Ranked 83rd on last year’s list, Kohli has climbed down to the 100th spot despite an increase of USD 1m in endorsements. Meanwhile, Messi has dethroned retired boxer Floyd Mayweather as the sports world’s highest earner, raking in USD 127 million via salary and endorsement deals, reports Indian Express.

Messi is now ahead of long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo, the Juventus and Portugal star is was second with earnings of USD 109 million.

Media reports say that, former world number one Tiger Woods was 11th on the list with $69.3 million, which included an estimated $54 million in endorsements. And, Tennis superstar Serena Williams was the only woman to make the list, coming in at 63rd with earnings of $29.2 million.