On his current salary, Lionel Messi is set to become a billionaire in just 12 years. Roger Federer earns the average UK salary of £27,600 in just 5 hours, 3 minutes and 41 seconds.
As we ease in to the new working year, many of us will be looking for a career change, or at the very least an improvement to our monthly pay packet - particularly those of us affected by the recent rail fare price hike.
But how do us ordinary citizens compare to the superstars of the sporting world? The Sports Superstars Salary Calculator has some answers.
Looking at the 2017 average UK Salary of £27,600, it would take reigning Australian Open champion Roger Federer just 5 hours, 3 minutes and 41 seconds to make what the average joe brings home in a calendar year.
So large is Federer’s wage packet, that he could even afford to purchase 205 averagely priced houses per year. Meanwhile, earning the UK average wage and assuming you saved every penny of your income every month, you’d make enough to purchase one average priced property in eight years - better get used to sleeping on that sofa bed at your parents house!
In the world of football - Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi is the top sports superstar on the list, taking home almost £82 million every year. Playing for just 90 minutes nets Mr. Messi a hefty £14,039, (enough to purchase one whole Bitcoin!)
The full list of sporting superstars salaries can be viewed below:
| Name | Sport | Annual Income (GBP) | Time to earn UK average wage |
| UK Average | - | £27,600 | 1 year |
| Lionel Messi | Football | £81,987,828 | 2 hours, 56 mins |
| LeBron James | Basketball | £65,893,776 | 3 hours, 40 mins |
| Roger Federer | Tennis | £47,767,660 | 5 hours, 3 mins |
| Rory Mcllroy | Golf | £37,277,958 | 6 hours, 29 mins |
| Derek Carr | American Football | £20,286,756 | 11 hours, 55 mins |
| Anthony Joshua | Boxing | £16,420,133 | 14 hours, 43 mins |
Looking closer at the amount of money each sporting superstar earns every year reveals that Anthony Joshua's dreams of becoming Boxing’s first billionaire may have to be pegged back a bit. At the current rate, the Olympic Gold medalist will have to keep fighting well into his 80’s!
Clearly, Lionel Messi is the best placed to become a billionaire out of the sports superstars on the list. Earning £81,987,828 per annum (including endorsements), the magician from Argentina will be a billionaire in just 12 years or 3 more World Cups. Want to know how many centuries it would take you in comparison?
To see the specifics of your salary, how you compare to these sporting superstars and much more, check out the online Sports Superstars calculator here.
