Forbes' list of highest-paid athletes

Tiger Woods is back on top of the world - in more ways than one.
The iconic golfer returned this year to the world No 1 spot he had held for so long until his self-imposed exile from the game December 2009.
And now the 37-year-old is back at the top of Forbes' annual list of the world's 100 highest paid athletes.

Show me the money: Woods is back at the top of the Forbes list

Power year: Woods, seen at left in his trademark red shirt at a tournament in Ohio last weekend, has attended a number of events (including the Met Ball at right) with his new girlfriend Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn

The American has earned $71.8million in the last year. The vast majority of which came from endorsement deals worth $65million and the remaining $13.1million came from winnings. 

Woods was top of the list for 11 consecutive years until 2012, when he was usurped by Swiss tennis star Roger Federer.

This has been a year of rehabilitation for Woods, who has come out from seemingly self-imposed hiding after the fallout from his multiple extramarital affairs surfaced.

Silver and bronze: Tennis star Roger Federer came in second with $71.5million and basketball legend Kobe Bryant made $61.9million

Meeting of the money makers: LeBron James went over to greet David Beckham after the soccer star watched the Miami Heat's game on June 3. James made $59.8million and Beckham made $47.2million, making him the highest-earning Brit on the Forbes list in 8th place

Now he is very publicly dating Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn, and the two have attended a number of red carpet events together including the annual ball at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

Though Vonn is wealthy in her own right from her endorsement deals following Olympic medals, she did not make the cut of Forbes' top 100 athletes.

 

There were only three women who did actually make the list. Though Maria Sharapova is currently ranked number two to Serena Williams in the tennis world, Sharapova beat her by a wide margin in the Forbes list as the Russian blonde came in 22nd with $29million while the younger Williams sister ranked 68th with $20.5million. 
 
While Federer may have had his money crown taken back by Tiger, he still came in second place over all on the Forbes list, earning $71.5million.

On and off the court: Maria Sharapova is ranked second in tennis to Serena Williams, but Sharapova made $8.5million more than the number 1 champ last year

The next four spots are held by Americans who are at the top of their fields: Kobe Bryant and LeBron James came in third and fourth with $61.9million and $59.8million respectively. 

The basketball stars are following closely by two football stars: Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers with $51million and $49million respectively.
 

Baseball is the most represented sport on the list with 27 stars present. There are athletes from 11 different sports represented, hailing from 23 different countries.

The highest represent Brit on the list is David Beckham in eighth, having taken home $47.2million last year. 

The former England captain is also the highest placed footballer, just ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo in ninth and Lionel Messi in 10th.

The World’s Top 10 Highest-Paid Athletes:

Rank	Athlete	Sport	Total ($m)	Salary/winnings ($m)	Endorsements ($m)
1	Tiger Woods	Golf	78.1	13.1	65.0
2	Roger Federer	Tennis	71.5	6.5	65.0
3	Kobe Bryant	Basketball	61.9	27.9	34.0
4	LeBron James	Basketball	59.8	17.8	42.0
5	Drew Brees	American Football	51.0	40.0	11.0
6	Aaron Rodgers	American Football	49.0	43.0	6.0
7	Phil Mickelson	Golf	48.7	4.7	44.0
8	David Beckham	Football	47.2	5.2	42.0
9	Cristiano Ronaldo	Football	44.0	23.0	21.0
10	Lionel Messi	Football	41.3	20.3	21.0

Megabucks Premier League stars earned £1.8billion

Megabucks ... Yaya Toure is one of league's highest earners

 

PREMIER League footballers earned a total of £1.8billion last season - an increase of NINE PER CENT - according to accountancy firm Deloitte. 

 

Clubs splashed a record amount of money on players' wages - an increase on the £1.66billion paid out a year before,

Yet the bills are set to rise even further as clubs make an extra £600million in TV money next year, a report said.

The top tier of English football retains its status as the world's wealthiest league with clubs expected to earn more than £3 billion of revenues in 2013/14.

Striking rich ... Rooney pockets around £250,000 a week

 

Manchester City was the best paying club during 2011/12, with wages of £202 million, while Swansea City was the lowest, handing its players £35million

And despite pressure on clubs to contain megabucks handouts to players, they are expected to plough around £480 million of the extra TV cash into wages.

Half of the clubs in the top tier made a profit in the 2011/12 season, with clubs earning a combined £98million of operating profits - four per cent of total revenues.

Alan Switzer, director in the sports business group at Deloitte, said: “The Premier League clubs have agreed to a system of enhanced financial regulations, designed to improve the sustainability of its clubs.

Minted ... Torres estimated to earn £170,000 a week

 

“The successful implementation of these rules, coupled with the imminent boost to broadcast revenues, could provide huge benefits to the long-term development, growth and stability of the game and its clubs.”

Manchester United earned the most in 2011/12, with revenues of £320 million, while Wigan Athletic earned the lowest at £53 million.

Aston Villa spent the biggest slice of its revenues on wages, at 94 per cent, while Norwich City spent just 49 per cent the lowest in the top tier.

Clubs spent an average of 70 per cent or £1.7 billion of their revenues on wages in 2011/12, the report revealed.

Bargain ... Swansea paid least out in wages in 2011/12

 

And they are set to receive an average of £73million from TV rights this coming season, up £25
million.

The report said: “If historic trends are repeated, increasing revenues will absorb about 80 per cent (£480 million) of the extra revenue.”

Clubs in the Championship, the second tier of English football, spent 89 per cent of revenues - or £422 million - on wages, up 11 per cent on the season before.
The next wealthiest league was Germany’s Bundesliga.

Dan Jones, partner in the sports business group at Deloitte, said: “Despite operating in a challenging economic environment, English club football’s profile, exposure and increasingly global interest have continued to drive revenue growth for the top clubs.”

Neymar tiba di Barcelona

 

PEMAIN Brazil, Neymar (kanan) bersama Presiden Barcelona, Sandro Rosell keluar untuk bertemu penyokong Barcelona selepas menandatangani kontrak 5 tahun bersama kelab itu di Stadium Nou Camp, Barcelona, awal pagi tadi. - Foto REUTERS

 

Barcelona: Sensasi Brazil, Neymar tiba di Barcelona, semalam untuk melengkapkan perpindahan bersama kelab Catalan itu yang dilihat bakal menambah sengat jentera serangan gergasi Sepanyol itu apabila digandingkan dengan Lionel Messi.

Neymar menaiki penerbangan terus dari Brazil ke Sepanyol selepas perlawanan persahabatan menentang England di Rio de Janeiro untuk melengkapkan kontrak perpindahan lima tahun bersama kelab itu.

Sekalipun dengan jadual penerbangan lewat daripada jangkaan, Neymar tiba di Barcelona dengan topi dan kaca mata hitam dan terus ke Camp Nou untuk sesi fotografi pertamanya bersama kelab itu dengan ratusan peminat menantinya.

Dia kemudian akan melalu ujian kesihatan, berjumpa dengan Presiden Barcelona, Sandro Rosell untuk menandatangani perjanjian sebelum turun ke padang Nou Camp bersama bola di kakinya.

Tempat terbaik

Awal pagi semalam, pemain tengah Barcelona, Andres Iniesta berkata, Neymar datang ke tempat paling baik untuk matang dan menjangkakan pemain berusia 21 tahun itu mampu menjadi gandingan yang baik bersama pemenang empat kali anugerah pemain terbaik dunia, Messi.

Dia akan banyak membantu kami kerana dia pemain yang amat berbakat, kata Iniesta. Dia membawa kemampuannya untuk menundukkan pertahanan lawan, menjaringkan gol dan menghiburkan. Dia masih muda. Dia mempunyai laluan yang panjang di depannya dan dia menuju ke tempat terbaik untuk matang.
Iniesta juga cuba untuk mengurangkan tekanan kepada rakan sepasukan barunya dan menafikan kemampuan kedua-dua bintang ini untuk beraksi bersama.

Dia datang ke tempat terbaik untuknya, kata Iniesta. Biarkan dia melakukan apa yang dia rasakan bagus untuk lakukan, ia sudah mencukupi. Ia adalah berita hebat yang kita boleh bergantung kepadanya. Dikelilingi dengan orang di sini, dia akan menjadi baik dan lebih baik.

Pemain hebat sentiasa memahami suatu sama lain. Leo akan menjadikan Neymar lebih baik dan Neymar akan jadikan Leo lebih baik.
AP

Mourinho sah sertai Blues ikat kontrak 4 tahun

Jose Mourinho

 

LONDON - Jose Mourinho dilantik sebagai pengurus Chelsea buat kali kedua, demikian pengesahan kelab itu semalam.

Selepas berminggu-minggu spekulasi, akhirnya Mourinho, 50, menandatangani kontrak empat tahun dengan kelab yang pernah dibimbingnya pada 2004 hingga 2007.

“Saya gembira mengalu-alukan Jose kembali ke Chelsea. Kejayaannya yang berterusan serta cita-citanya menjadikan dia calon paling cemerlang," kata Ketua Eksekutif kelab, Ron Gourlay dalam kenyataan di dalam laman web Chelsea.

Tambahnya: “Adalah menjadi matlamat kami untuk kelab itu terus mencipta kejayaan pada masa akan datang dan Jose adalah pilihan No. 1 kami kerana kami yakin dia adalah pengurus yang berupaya melakukannya."

Sebelum pengesahan tersebut, Mourinho berkata, dia bakal menjadi bos baru Chelsea.

Pendedahan itu dibuat oleh akhbar The Sun di London semalam setelah Special One meninggalkan Real Madrid dan akan kembali ke Stamford Bridge.

Dalam temu bual bersama saluran bola sepak terkemuka Sepanyol, Mourinho berkata: “Saya akan London pada Isnin (semalam) dan pada hujung minggu ini saya akan menjadi pengurus Chelsea.

“Saya rasa penyokong di sana sukakan saya. Dalam hidup anda, anda harus melihat perkara sedemikian.

“Hidup ini menarik dan singkat, anda harus lihat berdasarkan apa yang anda fikirkan terbaik untuk diri anda." - AGENSI

Jose: I’ll be back with Blues this week

WELCOME HO-ME ... outgoing Real chief
Jose Mourinho is ready for Bridge return

JOSE MOURINHO last night broke his silence to confirm for the first time he is the new Chelsea boss. 

 

As we exclusively revealed on May 3, the Special One has quit Real Madrid and sealed his return to Stamford Bridge.

Mourinho told leading Spanish TV football show Punto Pelota: “I’m going to London on Monday and at the end of the week I will be the manager of Chelsea.

“I feel the people there love me and in life you have to look for that.

“Life is beautiful and short and you must look for what you think is best for you.”

Raindrops keep falling on my head

Many people hate the sight of creepy crawlies, but one photographer saw the beauty in the insect world, taking a series of incredible photographs.

The stunning set of pictures show insects with tiny water droplets balancing on their heads and dotted around their feet in amazingly sharp detail.

A fly with a water droplet on its head. One of the series of incredible up close and personal pictures of bugs that Dimitriy took 

Dmitriy positioned the water droplets carefully before taking the perfect shot. He spent hours waiting for the conditions to be perfect

The shots were taken at an incredibly close distance creating a hyper detailed depiction of the insects

Photographer, Dmitriy Reinshtein, 26, from Moldova in Kishinev, spent hours waiting for that one special shot and admitted it was no easy task.

 

Dmitriy said: 'Patience is one of the most important ingredients in macro photography and I believe that if I send the creatures some positive energy they will stay still long enough for me to get the perfect shot. That and holding my breath.'

The snapper plants the droplets using a tiny pipette, small sticks and pieces of paper and came up with the idea after spotting a tiny spider sheltering from the rain.

The photographer was inspired when he spotted a tiny spider sheltering from the rain one day

He said that he had been fascinated by creepy crawlies, including spiders, from a very young age

Dmitriy has managed to capture every detail of the spider, including the fur on its body and a close up of the eyes

Dmitriy uses bright clashing colours to create a surreal quality in the photographs

The photographer spent his childhood looking for bugs and insects while on holiday with his family in Turkmenistan

Dmitriy’s love for creepy crawlies began when he was a child when he spent his days looking for insects while on holiday with his family in Turkmenistan.

He said: 'When I was on vacation I fell in love with bugs and nature.
'Now bugs are my most successful subjects. I wanted to show how beautiful and complicated they are.

By using mirrored reflections and a high contrast he creates an unusual effect on the surface of the water droplets

Dmitriy waited hours for the perfect shots. He says that patience is needed when undertaking a work like this

Even an expert like Dmitriy only has about a 30 per cent success rate when capturing the shots

'The process I use to capture the bugs is always changing and I have about a 30 per cent success rate with each picture I take.'

Dmitriy used a Canon 5d mark II camera, as well as a Nikon d300 camera with a Tamron 90mm lense to capture the critters on camera.

We can win the league again with Mourinho!

Chelsea have made their Premier League intentions clear just a week after the season ended and believe that with new management at main rivals Manchester United and  Manchester City they have a golden chance to take advantage. 

Although Chelsea will also be  making a new appointment, the almost certain return of Jose Mourinho means a familiarity that will not be repeated in Manchester. 

So believe David Luiz and Demba Ba, speaking in New York where they play City at the Yankee Stadium before returning home in the morning for a well-deserved break after a season that saw manager Roberto Di Matteo sacked, interim boss Rafa Benitez installed and an eventual Europa League triumph as well as a third place in the Premier League, despite his unpopularity with the Stamford Bridge fans. 

Special One: Chelsea players have faith that Jose Mourinho can make their side kings of England once more

Pure delight: Mourinho won the title twice with Chelsea back in the mid-noughties

 

‘We didn’t do a perfect job in the league, although we did qualify for the Champions League in the most difficult league in the world,’ said Brazilian Luiz who, with Ba and others, participated in a youth clinic at FC Harlem. 

‘I want to win titles at Chelsea and I want to have that feeling like others here at the end of the season when you take the trophy. 

‘Every year we have a chance because if you are a big club you have to think you can win everything. But next season I am confident, not just because of our squad but also because both United and City have had big losses. Both were great coaches and you have to think that the new man doesn’t do the same job. In our minds it’s a good thing.’

Ba agrees. ‘We’re pleased about the Europa League and Champions League spot ,but we could have done better in the Premier League. And the disappointment of this means we’re going to work very hard and get ready for the new season,’ said the Senegal striker. 

‘With or without Sir Alex Ferguson and Roberto Mancini, United and City still have great players but we’re confident in what we can do next season.’

That said, Luiz only had praise for the departing Benitez, who took charge of Chelsea for the final time last night in New York.

‘When you have the character to be professional living with so much pressure, and when everything is against you, then that is amazing,’ explained Luiz who, on Benitez’s say, switched from central defence to midfield with great success. 

‘We won the Europa League and qualified for the Champions League because Rafa was so professional and is a fantastic coach. I learned a lot from him this season. I love working with a tactical coach like him and he taught me a lot.’

The second coming of the Special One fills him with similar excitement, though. ‘Everyone in football knows him. Many people say he’s great to work with. I follow football history and I know the history of Mourinho. He has huge credibility across the world and, of course, I’m excited when you are about to work with a very good coach.’

Strolling: David Luiz (centre) says he is thrilled that Mourinho will come to Chelsea

Ba, like Luiz, did not play under Mourinho the first time the Portuguese was in charge at Chelsea but he, too, cannot wait for the experience to start. 

‘I don’t know him but you see the way people talk about him, what he has achieved and the way he can turn a good player into a world-class player. If you work hard he helps you as your manager and gives you confidence. As a footballer that’s one of the most important things to have — confidence from everybody around you, and especially the manager. I guess he is one of those who can do this.’

Ba, who played alongside fellow Senegalese striker Papiss Cisse at Newcastle before he joined Chelsea in January, alternated up front with Fernando Torres, playing only once alongside the Spaniard, who has rediscovered his form in recent weeks. He hopes Mourinho will play both of them next season. 

Ambitions: Demba Ba (second left) is hoping to play alongside Fernando Torres next term

‘Fernando and I only played one game together, the last one,’ he said. ‘It had some good prospects and we showed some promising things. I believe it could work well. It was successful before at Newcastle, sometimes for Papiss Cisse, sometimes for me. Even though we didn’t score at the same time, we played good football together. It’s good to have a partner.’

The goal may be the Premier title which Chelsea last won in 2010, but Luiz is still proud of following last year’s Champions League triumph with the Europa League and could not resist a final dig at United before the rivalry begins again in August. 

‘It’s better to win the Europa League than be Champions League quarter-finalists,’ he argued. ‘It’s a trophy for the team and it’s a piece of history. 

One time: Torres played alongside Ba in the last game of the season but replaced him in St Louis against City

‘We are the first team ever to win the Champions League and the Europa League consecutively, so that’s an amazing achievement. You don’t count quarter and semi-finalists. You only count winning finals.

‘Manchester United did a great job in the Premier League this season but they didn’t win a European  competition and Chelsea won again.’

Lukaku 'Drogba baharu'

LUKAKU (kanan) memiliki ciri berbadan besar dan tegap yang boleh memudahkan tugas Mourinho membentuknya menjadi 'Drogba baharu' musim depan.

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LONDON - Jose Mourinho optimis mampu menjadikan Romelu Lukaku sebagai Didier Drogba 'baharu'.

Beliau yang dikaitkan kembali menerajui Chelsea musim depan juga memberikan jaminan bahawa Lukaku tidak akan dipinjamkan kepada mana-mana kelab selepas ini.

Ketika ini, The Blues telah menolak tawaran mana-mana kelab termasuk West Ham dan Swansea yang berhasrat mendapatkan Lukaku menerusi pinjaman musim depan.
Lukaku, 20, telah mencetak 17 gol dalam kempen Liga Perdana England selepas dipinjamkan ke West Bromwich Albion musim lalu.

Dia dijangka berada dalam perancangan Mourinho untuk digandingkan dengan Luka Modric yang turut berada dalam radar jurulatih kelahiran Portugal itu musim depan.

Sebelum ini, Mourinho dilihat gemar memiliki penyerang bertubuh tegap seperti Drogba.

Justeru, Lukaku dilihat menepati ciri-ciri penyerang yang dikehendaki Mourinho.

Pada masa sama, masa depan Lukaku di Stamford Bridge juga dilihat cerah ekoran Mourinho dilaporkan mahu menjual Fernando Torres.

"Saya mahu beraksi lebih kerap bagi menjamin masa depan saya beraksi dalam pusingan akhir Piala Dunia.

"Terpulang kepada Mourinho sama ada beliau mahukan saya atau tidak jika benar dia mengendalikan Chelsea selepas ini," kata Lukaku. - Agensi

Cop Gear

Police in Dubai get fleet of supercars

PC Plod? ... Mercedes police car

 

 

POLICE in Dubai have taken delivery of a fleet of exotic supercars capable of catching even the fastest felon. 

 

After unveiling a 300k Lamborghini Aventador last month,  authorities have now added a Ferrari, Bentley, Mercedes and a £1.6m Aston Martin One-77 to the force.

All vehicles, in full livery, are capable of doing over 190mph and some motorists are thought to have actually BEGGED to be arrested in the hope they can be taken back to the local nick in one of the mega-buck motors.

Beat street ... Ferrari FF

 

 

The UAE is known for its multi-millionaire petrolheads who drive around the wealthy state in some of the world’s finest cars.

The police recently announced anyone caught exceeding 125mph would face legal action and it is hoped the presence of the 700bhp supercars will make boy racers think twice.

Bling ... Bentley

 

Deaths on the road are a common occurrence in the UAE, with one person killed in a traffic incident every 26 hours.

Most of the deaths are caused by speeding, driving without a seatbelt and driving while using mobile phones.

Sleek ... Lamborghini Aventador

 

Officer Khalifa Abdullah Mohammad, 25, has been patrolling Dubai in the Lamborghini police car for the past six weeks.

He said: “I have issued about 30 tickets to drivers blocking the traffic and parking in prohibited places.

“But the most amazing thing about driving such a car is how people look at you with a big smile.”

Supercar ... Aston Martin One-77

Lima maut terjatuh ke dalam lubang besar

BEBERAPA anggota penyelamat melakukan kerja-kerja mengangkat mayat mangsa lubang yang terbentuk dengan tiba-tiba di Shenzhen semalam.- AFP

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BEIJING - Lima orang maut apabila terjatuh ke dalam lubang sedalam 10 meter yang terbentuk secara tiba-tiba di pintu pagar sebuah kawasan perindustrian di Shenzhen, menurut pihak berkuasa tempatan semalam.

Menurut pihak pentadbiran daerah Shezhen Longgang di laman web Sina Weibo, pihaknya sedang menyiasat kejadian tersebut.

Laman web akhbar Guangming Daily melaporkan, lubang itu muncul di luar kawasan perindustrian Huamao di Shenzhen pada Isnin lalu.
.
Akhbar arus perdana Shanghai Daily memberitahu, seorang lelaki berjaya diselamatkan.

Bagaimanapun, jumlah sebenar pekerja yang telah terjatuh ke dalam lubang itu masih belum diketahui.

Kerja-kerja mencari yang dilakukan beberapa anggota penyelamat masih dilakukan sehingga semalam.

Lubang yang terbentuk dengan tiba-tiba kerap berlaku di China disebabkan oleh kerja-kerja pembinaan yang banyak dilakukan di negara ini. - AFP