Michel Leclercq Net Worth

Michel Leclercq has an estimated net worth of $5.5 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Michel Leclercq profile (figures as of October 20, 2026). That is up from $4.8 billion in 2019.

Michel Leclercq is a French businessman best known for founding Decathlon. He started the sporting goods retailer in 1976 with a small store. Over time, Decathlon grew into one of the world’s largest athletic retail chains. Forbes places his wealth in sporting goods and classifies his business interests in Fashion & Retail. His career is closely tied to Decathlon’s rise from a single shop to a global seller of sports gear.

His fortune comes from his stake in Decathlon. Forbes says Leclercq and his immediate family own about 40% of the company, while the extended Mulliez family also owns about 40%. The business now generates more than $16.5 billion in sales from more than 1,700 stores in 60 countries. Forbes' real-time billionaires tracker put his net worth at $5.5 billion as of October 20, 2026, showing how much value investors place on his share of the retailer.

How Michel Leclercq built his fortune

Leclercq made his money by creating Decathlon and holding a large ownership stake in it. He launched the company in 1976 as a small sporting goods store. That simple idea became a very large retail business focused on athletic goods. Forbes links his wealth to sporting goods, and Decathlon is the center of that story. His position as founder gave him a major share in a company that expanded far beyond its original scale.

Today, Decathlon is one of the world’s largest athletic retailers. Forbes says the company has more than $16.5 billion in sales, more than 1,700 stores, and operations in 60 countries. That reach helps explain why his stake is so valuable. Forbes also says Leclercq and his immediate family own about 40% of the company. The extended Mulliez family owns about 40% as well, keeping control concentrated around the founding family group.

How Forbes' estimate changed

Forbes' estimate for Leclercq’s fortune moved up and down over the years. It was $4.8 billion in 2019, fell to $2.6 billion in 2020, then rose to $5.7 billion in 2021. In 2022, Forbes put it at $3.8 billion. The estimate then climbed to $5 billion in 2023 and stayed at $5 billion in 2024. Those shifts show how billionaire rankings can change even when the core business remains the same.

The later updates continued that pattern. Forbes estimated his wealth at $4.6 billion for 2025 and $6.1 billion for 2026. On Forbes' real-time billionaires tracker, it stood at $5.5 billion as of October 20, 2026. Because his fortune is tied to Decathlon, changes in the value placed on the retailer can move the estimate. His ownership stake remained the key reason he stayed among France’s richest retail figures.