Great Britain secured their spot in the Davis Cup Finals with a 3-0 win over Ecuador in London Sunday, while U.S. Open finalist Alexander Zverev helped Germany reach the quarterfinals.

Henry Patten and Neal Skupski wrapped up the victory for Britain with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Diego Hidalgo and Gonzalo Escobar, consolidating the work done in the singles the day before by Toby Samuel in his debut and Arthur Fery.

Top-ranked doubles player Patten and his partner Skupski, the world No. 3, secured a sole break of serve in the first set to take control against their 91st- and 93rd-ranked opponents.

In the second set, the British duo took the lead in the ninth game, before promptly serving out the match for the 10-time Davis Cup champions.

“We’re feeling great,” Patten said on court.

“We’re very happy to get it done in the first match.”

Earlier Saturday in the British capital, 23-year-old Samuel overcame Andres Andrade and Wimbledon semifinalist Fery defeated Alvaro Guillen Meza to set up the victory.

Germany’s Zverev then led his country into the Finals. The world No. 2 beat 103rd-ranked Croatian Dino Prizmic 6-2, 6-4 to take Germany one step closer to a first Davis Cup title since 1993.

Zverev broke his 21-year-old opponent three times, without facing a break point himself, to win in 77 minutes in Halle.

Zverev had got the Germans off to a winning start against Croatia on Saturday with a straight-sets win against Matej Dodig.

Prizmic hit back instantly for the visiting Croatians but Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz’s win in the doubles rubber tipped the tie back in Germany’s favor.

Spain also stand on the brink of a return to the Finals as they lead hosts Chile 2-0 in Santiago following Daniel Merida and Rafael Jodar’s victories in Saturday’s singles rubbers.

Jaume Munar and Pedro Martinez will meet Tomas Barrios Vera and Alejandro Tabilo in the first of three possible matches on Sunday.

The winners of that final tie will join three-time defending champions and Finals hosts Italy, as well as Britain, Germany, the Czech Republic, South Korea, Austria and Canada in the Davis Cup Finals, which will run from Nov. 24-29 in Bologna.

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KTM’s Pedro Acosta claimed his first MotoGP victory at Austria’s Red Bull Ring Sunday, while Jorge Martin’s second-place finish put the Aprilia rider atop the championship standings.

Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi finished third ahead of Ai Ogura of Trackhouse.

Ducati’s Marc Marquez, who entered the weekend tied with Martin atop the standings, finished fifth and now trails his rival by 12 points.

Acosta, who won Moto3 and Moto2 championships before moving to MotoGP in 2024, started third but fell to fifth by the end of the first lap.

The blip was temporary for the 22-year-old, who ran second by the end of lap four and battled Martin. On lap nine, he swept into the lead.

He held a similar position in Saturday’s sprint before sliding off near the end, but this time, after 15 previous podiums, he finally secured a MotoGP win.

“The first one is always special,” Acosta said, especially pleased to win on the home track of KTM sponsor Red Bull.

“Nice way to close a cycle with KTM in front of all the Austrian fans,” he said. “Many KTM teachers were involved. I’m super happy for them because they deserve it even more than me. The result was amazing.”

The playful Spaniard also paid tribute to his Saturday crash by laying his bike down on his winner’s lap on the spot where he slid into the gravel.

Martin, who benefited from that crash Saturday, finished 1.017 seconds behind him.

Marc Marquez started second but on a track unsuited to his Ducati, he had an up-and-down ride. Falling to fifth on the opening lap, he moved past Ogura on lap nine before an error that sent him off the track allowed the Japanese rider, KTM’s Brad Binder and Gresini’s Fermin Aldeguer to pass.

In true Marquez style, though, the seven-time world champion battled back from seventh to minimize damage to his hopes for an eighth title.

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Mohamed Salah scored a hat trick and assisted another as Trabzonspor handed defending champions Galatasaray their first defeat of the Turkish Süper Lig season with a 4-0 victory Saturday, giving new manager Thomas Reis a triumphant start to his tenure.

Reis took charge of Trabzonspor earlier in the week following the departure of former head coach Fatih Tekke. The German manager oversaw just two days of training before guiding the Black Sea club to a dominant home performance against their Istanbul rivals.

With the victory, Trabzonspor moved up to fifth place in the Süper Lig standings with 10 points from six matches, pulling within three points of league leaders Galatasaray.

Salah set the tone early at the stadium, opening the scoring in the fourth minute. The Egyptian star latched onto a clearance in midfield, raced behind the Galatasaray defense and calmly slotted a low finish past goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır.

Salah nearly doubled the advantage five minutes later when he found space inside the penalty box, though his effort went just wide of the post.

Trabzonspor extended their lead in the 39th minute through a clinical team combination. Salah turned provider, sliding a pass into the right side of the box for Noah Saviolo, who struck a low shot into the bottom corner.

The hosts effectively put the match out of reach just before halftime. In the 44th minute, Franculino Dju dispossessed Galatasaray defender Davinson Sanchez deep in opposition territory and played the ball to Salah, who applied a composed, low finish from inside the area to send Trabzonspor into the break with a 3-0 lead.

Galatasaray struggled to mount a comeback in the second half as frustration mounted on the visitors’ bench. Galatasaray head coach Okan Buruk was sent off in the 71st minute after receiving a red card for protesting a refereeing decision.

Salah completed his hat trick in the 80th minute in spectacular fashion. After receiving a pass from Ozan Tufan, the forward broke into the box on the right following an unchallenged run from his own half before placing a signature side-footed finish beyond Çakır.

Galatasaray were reduced to 10 men in the 85th minute when Lesley Ugochukwu was sent off following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review. Ugochukwu had initially received a yellow card for a foul on Tufan, but the penalty was upgraded to a direct red card.

Speaking after the match, Reis praised his squad’s tactical discipline and immediate adaptation to his instructions.

“I would like to start by expressing how happy I am,” Reis said. “We only had a two-day period before having the opportunity to go into this match with the team. I can say that we showed a performance that was very high and very good, perhaps to a degree that was not expected of us. There was good defense, there was good offense. It was a very important victory for us. I think we delivered a truly important performance.”

“I must also express this: I am very happy for our fans as well … this is an important and very special victory for me. There is a short break now. After resting a bit, we will continue working again and hopefully continue on our path in the same way,” he added.

Reis emphasized the collective effort of the squad, noting that while Salah’s individual brilliance was decisive, the victory was built on team unity and defensive stability.

“We spoke briefly with our players before the match, got their thoughts, and chatted with them,” Reis added. “We have teammates who are much more experienced than me as players, who have gained a lot of experience. We have players who have played at the Champions League level, at very top levels. Of course, they are also very valuable players. They made incredible contributions. Naturally, I am very happy to be Mohamed Salah’s coach. But at the same time, our defensive players, our midfielders, everyone did a great job. They helped him a lot.”

In other Süper Lig action on Saturday, Başakşehir recorded a resounding 4-0 home victory against Gençlerbirliği.

Meanwhile, Kocaelispor secured a 2-0 home win over Gaziantep and Alanyaspor earned a 2-1 away victory against Çorum FK.

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Kylian Mbappe has ended his two-decade partnership with Nike and joined Swiss sportswear brand On, giving the fast-growing company a global football superstar as it prepares to enter a market dominated by Nike, Adidas and Puma.

The move is a major step for On, which built its reputation in running before expanding into tennis through its partnership with Roger Federer. The company plans to launch its first football boots in 2027, with former France star Thierry Henry serving as its director of football.

Mbappe, who has been associated with Nike since he was a child, will work with On’s product teams on the development and testing of its football footwear and apparel. The deal includes cash and equity components, although On has not disclosed its value.

The partnership gives On an immediate presence in football through one of the sport’s most recognizable players, but turning Mbappe’s star power into sustained sales will be a far more difficult task.

Football is among the most fiercely contested categories in sportswear. Nike, Adidas and Puma have spent decades building relationships with clubs, national teams and players while investing heavily in product development and marketing. At the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Adidas sponsored 14 national teams, while Nike and Puma sponsored 12 and 11, respectively.

“Football is one of the most expensive categories to enter and performance credibility cannot simply be bought,” Jefferies equity analyst Randy Konik said, arguing that the Mbappe deal shows On will need to increase spending to sustain its growth.

On’s challenge comes as the company itself faces pressure to maintain the rapid expansion that has made it one of the sportswear industry’s prominent challengers.

The company missed analysts’ estimates for second-quarter net sales last month, raising concerns about slowing growth. Its Americas business, which accounts for more than half of its revenue, has also struggled amid uncertain consumer spending. On’s shares have fallen more than 40% this year.

Still, On has continued to take market share from established rivals. Data from M Science showed the company gained share in the three months through August, while Nike continued to lose ground.

Its expansion into football therefore represents another attempt to find a new source of growth.

On has already used a similar strategy in tennis, where its partnership with Federer helped raise the brand’s profile beyond running. Federer acquired an equity stake in On after joining the company in 2019, and the Swiss star has remained closely involved with its product development and marketing.

The Mbappe agreement similarly includes an equity component, creating a structure that goes beyond a conventional endorsement deal. The French forward will have a role in developing On’s football products as the company builds its new category.

On says its LightSpray robotic manufacturing technology, already used in its running footwear, will be part of its approach to football boots. The company is positioning the technology and its engineering expertise as potential points of difference in a market where established brands have years of experience producing elite-level boots.

Yet industry analysts have warned that signing a superstar does not automatically create a successful football business.

Under Armour’s partnership with NBA star Stephen Curry offers one example. The collaboration helped establish Under Armour in basketball, but the company did not replicate the cultural reach or commercial scale of Nike’s Jordan Brand. Under Armour and Curry agreed to separate in 2025.

“The question is whether the deal is worth the cost, which is undoubtedly high,” Morningstar analyst David Swartz said.

Nike, meanwhile, is losing one of its most prominent football ambassadors at a time when the company is attempting to revive its business.

Mbappe became a central figure in Nike’s football marketing, particularly as Cristiano Ronaldo, another major Nike ambassador, moves into the later stages of his career. Nike has also recently lost Spain and Barcelona star Lamine Yamal to Adidas.

Nike said it was proud of its long relationship with Mbappe and wished him success in the next stage of his career.

Mbappe’s departure is unlikely to transform Nike’s fortunes by itself. Analysts said investors are more focused on the company’s product innovation and broader turnaround strategy under CEO Elliott Hill, who has sought to refocus Nike on major sports including football and running.

Nike still retains significant strength in football. The company has extended its long-running agreement to supply France’s national team kits through 2033-34 and remains one of the sport’s dominant global brands.

For On, however, Mbappe represents something different: a chance to establish credibility in football before its first boots even reach the market.

The company has brought together Mbappe’s global profile, Henry’s football expertise and its product-development technology as it attempts to build a new category from scratch.

Whether that combination can challenge decades of Nike, Adidas and Puma dominance will depend on more than the visibility of one superstar. On must persuade players and consumers that its football products can perform at the highest level, while building the distribution, club relationships and cultural presence needed to turn a headline partnership into a lasting football business.

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FIFA President Gianni Infantino has been invited by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to attend a two-day strategy conference in Cape Verde next month as he seeks to maintain support on the continent ahead of next year’s FIFA presidential election.

A letter sent by CAF to its 54 member associations this week, seen by Reuters and verified by several associations, invited the presidents to the Oct. 7-8 meeting after CAF President Patrice Motsepe had proposed the gathering several times.

Motsepe, a South African mining billionaire, is a close ally of Infantino, who faces a potential challenge to his leadership after the collapse of a proposal to sell private investors a stake of up to 20% in FIFA competitions, including the World Cup.

CAF’s executive committee expressed its support for Infantino last month, while several African football associations have also publicly backed his bid for another term.

The plan prompted fierce opposition from UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF and led to calls for change at the top of FIFA. Africa expressed no objection to the plan and has since said it remains behind Infantino.

While past FIFA elections have often seen the African vote split, CAF’s endorsement contrasts with criticism of Infantino’s actions from other parts of the football world.

Africa’s 54 votes represent a significant bloc of the 211 member associations that would vote if Infantino faces a challenger in the election in Rabat in March.

The 56-year-old Swiss has confirmed he is seeking re-election, but no potential opponent has emerged despite UEFA saying it was searching for a credible challenger.

CAF said the conference agenda would be sent to member associations in due course.

On Oct. 9, there will also be a review of the 2026 World Cup, to which the national team coach of every African association has been invited. The review will be led by former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who is now FIFA’s chief of global football development.

FIFA has hosted reviews of tactical trends, refereeing, logistical matters and other issues from the field of play on every continent after every World Cup since the 2010 tournament in South Africa.

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Michael Jordan’s playing career ended more than two decades ago, but the basketball icon continues to earn at a level few active athletes can match.

That is the clearest illustration of what separates the highest-paid athletes in history from those who simply collected the biggest salaries during their playing careers. The all-time money leaders have turned sporting success into global brands, endorsement empires and business ventures that continue generating revenue long after they leave the field.

Sportico’s career-earnings estimates, adjusted for inflation through the end of 2025, put Jordan at the top of the list at roughly $4.5 billion. Tiger Woods, Cristiano Ronaldo, LeBron James and Lionel Messi form the next group, each having accumulated at least about $2 billion in inflation-adjusted earnings.

The figures include salaries, bonuses, prize money and purses, along with endorsement income, licensing, royalties, appearances, memorabilia, media deals and other sports-related business earnings. They are generally calculated before taxes and agent fees, while traditional investment income is excluded.

Jordan’s commercial legacy towers over the field

Jordan’s estimated inflation-adjusted career earnings are about $4.5 billion, compared with roughly $3.28 billion in nominal terms.

His six NBA championships and five MVP awards made him one of the most recognizable athletes in the world, but it was his commercial success that transformed his career earnings.

The foundation was laid with his partnership with Nike, which began in 1984 and eventually produced the Air Jordan brand. Decades after his final NBA season, Jordan continues to receive substantial royalty income from the business.

He also has been involved in a range of other commercial ventures and investments, including his former ownership stake in the Charlotte Hornets, a stake in DraftKings and involvement with a NASCAR team.

Sportico estimates that Jordan earned about $275 million in 2025 alone, a remarkable figure for an athlete who retired from the NBA in 2003.

Woods built a golf fortune that survived his peak

Tiger Woods ranks second on the inflation-adjusted list at approximately $2.88 billion, with nominal career earnings estimated at about $1.97 billion.

Woods’ 15 major championships and 82 PGA Tour victories established him as one of golf’s defining figures. His success coincided with a period of enormous growth in sports sponsorships, allowing him to turn his dominance on the course into a global commercial operation.

His long-running relationship with Nike became one of the most lucrative athlete endorsement partnerships in sports. He has also had major deals with companies including Rolex and Hero MotoCorp, while golf-course design and other business ventures have added to his post-playing income.

Like Jordan, Woods has continued generating significant commercial revenue even as his competitive schedule has declined.

Ronaldo leads the modern generation

Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest-paid active athlete on the all-time list, with inflation-adjusted career earnings of approximately $2.52 billion.

The Portugal captain’s career has combined enormous club salaries with one of the most powerful personal brands in global sport. His move to Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr dramatically increased his on-field income, while endorsement agreements and his CR7 brand have kept his off-field earnings at elite levels.

Forbes estimated Ronaldo’s earnings at $300 million over the 12 months covered by its 2026 ranking, including about $235 million from on-field income. Forbes also describes him as the world’s highest-paid athlete in that period.

Ronaldo’s earning power illustrates how modern global sports stars can combine club contracts, sponsorships and personal businesses on an unprecedented scale.

James and Messi remain close behind

LeBron James has accumulated approximately $2.03 billion in inflation-adjusted career earnings.

The Los Angeles Lakers star has earned hundreds of millions of dollars in NBA salary while building an even larger commercial portfolio. Forbes says James has earned more than $1 billion pretax off the court through endorsements and business ventures, including his long-running Nike relationship. He also has taken equity positions in companies he has worked with, including Beats by Dre.

James became the first active NBA player to reach billionaire status according to Forbes, although net worth and career earnings are different measurements.

Lionel Messi follows at roughly $1.99 billion in inflation-adjusted career earnings.

The Argentine star’s income has been driven by enormous contracts during his Barcelona years, his move to Inter Miami and a portfolio of global endorsement agreements, including Adidas. His arrival in Major League Soccer also expanded his commercial reach in the United States.

Forbes estimated Messi’s earnings at about $140 million in its 2026 annual ranking, split roughly evenly between on-field and off-field income.

The rest of the top 10

The inflation-adjusted top 10 also includes several athletes whose commercial influence extended well beyond their competitive careers.

Arnold Palmer ranks sixth at approximately $1.85 billion, followed by Jack Nicklaus at $1.83 billion. David Beckham is next at about $1.68 billion, with Roger Federer at $1.67 billion and Floyd Mayweather Jr. at approximately $1.57 billion.

The list reflects the unusual economics of sports. Some athletes accumulated enormous fortunes through salaries and prize money, while others generated most of their career earnings away from competition.

Golf is particularly prominent because stars such as Palmer, Nicklaus and Woods were able to monetize their names through endorsements, course design, licensing and appearances for decades.

Beckham followed a similar path in soccer, turning his playing career into a global commercial brand. Federer did the same in tennis, where endorsement income became a major part of his earnings.

Mayweather’s position is different. Boxing’s individual-pay structure allows elite fighters to capture a much larger share of event revenue, with major pay-per-view bouts producing enormous purses.

Career earnings tell a different story than annual salaries

The distinction between annual earnings and career earnings is important.

Forbes’ annual rankings measure what athletes earn during a particular 12-month period. Sportico’s career rankings accumulate earnings over an athlete’s professional life and then adjust historical figures for inflation.

That difference explains why several retired athletes remain near the top of an all-time list.

Palmer and Nicklaus competed in an earlier financial era, when salaries and endorsement contracts were much smaller in nominal terms. Adjusting their earnings for inflation provides a clearer comparison with athletes competing in today’s vastly larger sports economy.

Forbes’ historical annual rankings also show how quickly the business of sports has expanded. In 2013, for example, Tiger Woods led the Forbes list with $78.1 million, while Federer earned $71.5 million and LeBron James $59.8 million.

More recent figures are several times larger. Ronaldo’s estimated $300 million in the latest Forbes period demonstrates the scale now available to the world’s biggest sports stars.

Endorsements can outlast the playing career

For many of the athletes near the top of the all-time list, the most important paycheck did not come from a team.

Jordan’s Nike relationship is the clearest example. Woods’ sponsorship portfolio and course-design business have also continued producing income well after his peak competitive years.

James has built a similar model, combining NBA salary with endorsements, equity investments, media ventures and other businesses. Forbes says he has earned more than $500 million in pretax NBA salary and more than $1 billion off the court.

Federer, Beckham and Palmer likewise demonstrate the value of maintaining a marketable identity after retirement.

The result is a career that does not necessarily end when the athlete stops competing.

Different sports produce different paths to wealth

The composition of the list also reflects the economics of individual sports and major team leagues.

Golfers can combine prize money with sponsorships, appearance fees, course design and licensing. Boxers can receive enormous shares of event revenue through purses and pay-per-view agreements. Tennis players benefit from global sponsorship markets and long careers.

Basketball stars have benefited from rapidly increasing NBA salaries, global merchandise sales and lucrative footwear partnerships.

Soccer provides another route because its biggest stars can reach enormous audiences across continents.

Ronaldo and Messi have turned that global visibility into substantial endorsement and business income, while the growth of high-paying leagues has pushed player compensation higher.

The modern sports economy has also created opportunities that previous generations did not have, including social media, direct-to-consumer brands, media companies and equity partnerships.

The list is still changing

The all-time rankings are not static.

Ronaldo, James and Messi remain active commercial forces, meaning their career totals can continue to rise. Other current stars, including Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Shohei Ohtani and Canelo Alvarez, are also building earnings at levels that could significantly alter the historical rankings over time.

Ohtani represents a particularly notable modern model, with an enormous playing contract combined with substantial endorsement income. Curry has built a major commercial business around basketball and Under Armour, while Alvarez has benefited from the enormous purses available to boxing’s biggest attractions.

The growth of athlete-owned businesses could make future career rankings even more difficult to separate from traditional sports earnings.

Women remain significantly underrepresented

The historical list also highlights the enormous earnings gap between the biggest-paid male and female athletes.

Serena Williams is the only woman among Sportico’s top 50 all-time earners cited in the data, with inflation-adjusted career earnings estimated at roughly $680 million.

That gap reflects differences in salaries, prize money, sponsorship markets and commercial opportunities across sports and eras. It also shows why comparing athletes solely by their accumulated earnings does not provide a complete picture of sporting achievement or commercial influence.

Why inflation matters

A simple comparison of nominal career earnings can distort historical rankings.

A dollar earned several decades ago had considerably greater purchasing power than a dollar earned today. Inflation adjustment attempts to place those earnings on a common basis, allowing athletes from different generations to be compared more meaningfully.

That is particularly important for Palmer and Nicklaus, whose careers were built when professional sports generated far less revenue than they do today.

Even after adjusting for inflation, however, Jordan remains the clear leader in Sportico’s career-earnings estimates.