Megan Rapinoe

Megan Rapinoe was one of the most visible and commercially successful female soccer players in history, though her net worth reflects the vast pay gap between men's and women's soccer. Her USWNT salary was approximately $200,000-300,000 per year, and her NWSL salary peaked at approximately $50,000 -- figures that would be rounding errors for male players of equivalent stature. Her real income came from endorsements.

Rapinoe's endorsement portfolio included Nike, Samsung, Subway, BodyArmor, Victoria's Secret, and Megan Thee Stallion's fashion line. Her 2019 World Cup performance -- where she scored six goals and won the Golden Boot and Golden Ball -- combined with her outspoken advocacy for equal pay, LGBTQ+ rights, and social justice, made her one of the most marketable athletes in women's sports. Her annual endorsement income peaked at approximately $5 million.

Rapinoe's activism was inseparable from her brand. Her public feud with then-President Trump during the 2019 World Cup made her a cultural figure beyond sports, and brands signed her specifically because of her willingness to take political stances. Her net worth of $10 million, while modest by male athlete standards, represents the ceiling for women's soccer earnings in her era.