Lionel Messi Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What Is Lionel Messi’s Net Worth?

With a net worth of $850 million, Lionel Messi, a professional athlete born in Argentina, is often considered the best soccer player globally and one of the greatest in history. He stands out as one of the highest-paid players in sports history. From his teenage years until 2021, Lionel played for Barcelona, during which he scored 672 goals across 778 games. On August 10, 2021, it was announced that he would be transferring from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain. Additionally, he represents the Argentina National Team, with which he won the World Cup on December 18, 2022.

Messi is possibly the highest-paid soccer player worldwide and certainly ranks among the highest-paid athletes in general. His groundbreaking contract with Barcelona in 2017 provided him with an average base annual salary of $168 million. He also garners approximately $70 million annually from endorsements, elevating his total earnings under that contract to about $200 million per year. On June 7, 2023, Lionel indicated his move to David Beckham’s MLS team, Inter Miami, under a unique agreement that entails revenue sharing from Apple’s MLS season coverage and offers him ownership in the team. More details regarding this agreement will be shared later in this article; however, Lionel’s base salary at Inter Miami is $60 million, and he will acquire a 10% ownership stake in the team when his contract concludes. This 10% stake might be valued at $200 million or even more, depending on the team’s worth post-retirement.

Contrary to reports from some less credible sources, Lionel Messi is NOT A BILLIONAIRE. By the conclusion of his contract with Barcelona, Messi had earned upwards of $1.6 billion considering endorsements. We estimate his total earnings in salary at approximately $1.2 billion, supplemented by $400 million from endorsements. Some outlets have misinterpreted the figures regarding his earnings surpassing $1 billion and mistakenly labeled him a “billionaire.”

Lionel Messi Salary and Contracts

Peak performance years at Barcelona saw Lionel Messi easily become the highest-paid soccer player worldwide. In 2017, he entered into a contract with Barcelona that provided a base salary of $168 million. For several years, the specifics of his contract were closely guarded, but in January 2021, the Spanish newspaper “El Mundo” revealed the leaked details. Under an earlier agreement, his annual base salary was $44.68 million.

In August 2021, Lionel signed a contract with Paris Saint-Germain. This initial two-year agreement equates to $75 million per year before taxes, translating to approximately $40 million after taxes. Additionally, Messi’s contract allowed him to earn performance-based bonuses and a share of jersey sales.

Furthermore, Messi secures an additional $70 million each year through endorsements, including a lifetime endorsement contract with Adidas.

$1 Billion Saudi Contract

Reports in May 2023 suggested that Lionel Messi was nearing a $1 billion contract with an undisclosed Saudi Pro League team. The arrangement would…It has been reported that Lionel could earn a salary of $400 MILLION each season. If accurate, this annual payment would nearly double the 2.5-year, $535 million contract Cristiano Ronaldo accepted in December 2022 from a Saudi Pro League team known as Al Nassr. Lionel ultimately chose not to accept this offer, signing instead with David Beckham’s MLS franchise, Inter Miami.

Inter Miami

On June 7, 2023, news surfaced that Messi was intending to join MLS’s Inter Miami, co-owned by David Beckham. The reported contract would reportedly see him earning a salary of $1.03 million per week (totaling $54 million annually) over a span of four years. In a twist, Messi’s Miami agreement will receive additional support from a revenue share of subscriptions sold by Apple for its MLS Season Pass. It was later disclosed that Lionel’s contract with Inter Miami guarantees him an annual salary of $60 million and includes a 10% ownership stake in the team, valued at as much as $2 billion.

Adidas Endorsement

As one of the most recognizable athletes globally, Messi has been an Adidas spokesperson since 2006, serving as their foremost brand endorser. Initially, at the age of 14, he had a contract with Nike but later made the switch to Adidas. In 2008, Messi launched a long-running line of signature Adidas boots and established his own sub-brand, Adidas Messi.

Visit Saudi Endorsement Deal

A leaked contract from June 2023 revealed that Lionel had signed a three-year agreement in January 2021, which can earn him up to $25 million for promoting tourism in Saudi Arabia. The contract stipulates that Lionel must:

• #1) Vacation annually in Saudi Arabia with up to 20 friends. All expenses will be covered, including travel and five-star accommodations. Each vacation should last a minimum of five days.
• #2) Create ten social media posts each year that promote Saudi Arabia, utilizing approved hashtags.
• #3) Take part in an annual tourism advertising campaign, which last year involved appearing in a single promotional video for Visit Saudi.

For fulfilling obligations #2 and #3, he earns $2 million annually per commitment. Additionally, he can receive another $2 million each year for engaging in “charitable work.”

When totaled over three years, Lionel stands to earn $25 million for relatively minimal effort. However, one stipulation exists: According to the contract viewed by the Times, Lionel “cannot make any statements that could ‘tarnish’ Saudi Arabia.”

Early Life

Born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Argentina, Lionel Messi has his father, Jorge Horacio Messi, working as a factory steelworker, while his mother, Celia Maria Cuccittini, held a part-time cleaning job. He shares a close bond with his two elder brothers, Rodrigo and Matias, along with his sister, Maria Sol. The family frequently engaged in soccer, playing together with cousins Maximiliano and Emanuel Biancucchi, who also became professional footballers. At the tender age of six, Messi joined the Rosario soccer club and played for Newell’s Old Boys.

At the age of ten, Lionel received a diagnosis of growth hormone deficiency, and his father found it increasingly difficult to afford the necessary medical treatment. Newell’s initially agreed to help with the expenses but later retracted their commitment. The Sporting Director of FC Barcelona, Carles Rexach, stepped in and offered to cover the medical costs if Messi relocated to Spain. With his father’s consent, Rexach wrote a contract on a paper napkin, leading the family to Barcelona in February 2001. They settled into an apartment close to Camp Nou, the club’s stadium. Homesickness struck Messi after his mother and siblings returned to Rosario, leaving him in Barcelona with his father. However, after a year, Messi joined the Royal Spanish Football Federation and became part of the “Baby Dream Team,” regarded as Barcelona’s finest collection of young soccer talents.

Career

At 17 years old, Lionel debuted in the league against RCD Espanyol, becoming the third-youngest player ever to represent FC Barcelona. At that moment, he also held the record as the youngest player to score for Barcelona. Throughout the 2005-2006 season, Messi began receiving payment as a first-team player and acquired his Spanish citizenship. He also made his entrance into the Spanish First Division league. During his first match, after netting a goal alongside superstar Ronaldinho, Messi was met with a standing ovation. He recorded six goals out of his seventeen League appearances and one goal in six games for the Champions League. In 2006, Messi achieved the distinction of being the youngest Argentine to both play and score in the FIFA World Cup.

Following the World Cup, in the 2006-2007 season, Messi faced a broken metatarsal injury, which required three months for recovery. He returned to the pitch as a substitute against Racing Santander. That March, he made headlines by scoring a hat trick against Real Madrid, becoming the first player since Ivan Zamorano to accomplish this in El Clasico. During the 2007-2008 season, Messi propelled Barcelona into the top four of La Liga. He received a nomination as a forward for the FIFA ProWorld XI Player Award, and Marca newspaper named him the world’s best player. Other publications echoed this sentiment, suggesting Messi should receive the Ballon d’Or. He eventually won his first Ballon d’Or in 2009 at the age of 22 and subsequently secured three more consecutively. Additionally, he earned an Olympic Gold Medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. In 2012, he established La Liga and European records for the highest number of goals scored in a single season, solidifying his status as Barcelona’s all-time top scorer. In the following two seasons, Messi, now the captain of Barcelona, claimed second place for the Ballon d’Or, trailing behind his adversary Cristiano Ronaldo. In 2014, he guided Argentina to the World Cup finals, where he was awarded the Golden Ball. Although Lionel announced his retirement in 2016, he reversed his decision and led Argentina to qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, finishing third at the 2019 Copa America. Messi made history in 2019 by securing a record-breaking sixth Ballon d’Or.

2022 World Cup

On December 18, Lionel and his Argentina teammates triumphed over France in the 2022 World Cup final. Excluding penalty kicks, Lionel scored two goals during the match, which extended into overtime before concluding with a shootout.

Charity

The Leo Messi Foundation, founded by Messi, focuses on creating better educational and healthcare opportunities for underprivileged children. This charity was established in 2007 after Messi’s transformative visit to a children’s hospital in Boston. With assistance from Herbalife, the foundation covers essential expenses for children’s medical treatments, transportation, and recovery who are facing significant health challenges. Additionally, Messi has served as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF since March 2010, where he participated in a field mission to Haiti to raise public awareness about the struggles faced by the country’s children in the aftermath of the earthquake.

Messi also engages in individual fundraising efforts, organizing global football matches and raising funds for various charitable causes. He provides financial support to numerous youth football clubs in Argentina, including Sarmiento, Rosario Central, Newell’s, River Plate, and Boca Juniors. In 2012, he contributed to the construction of a new gym and dormitory at his childhood club, Newell’s. Furthermore, his former coach at the club is now employed by the Messi Foundation, where he works as a talent scout for young athletes.

In March 2020, Messi made a significant donation of $1 million to aid in combating the spread of coronavirus. Additionally, Lionel and his FC Barcelona teammates took a 70 percent pay cut during the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring that no staff at Barcelona would face salary reductions during this global crisis.

Personal Life

Since 2008, Messi has been in a relationship with Antonella Roccuzzo, who is also from Rosario. Their friendship dates back to when they were five years old, and they made their romance public in January 2009. The couple celebrated their marriage in Rosario in June 2007 and is blessed with three children: Thiago (born in 2012), Mateo (born in 2015), and Ciro (born in 2018). Lionel maintains a close bond with his family, particularly his mother, whose face is tattooed on his left shoulder. His professional endeavors largely operate like a family business, with his father serving as his agent since Messi was 14, and his older brother Rodrigo managing his public relations.

Real Estate

In 2009, Messi acquired a home in a Barcelona neighborhood called Pedrables for $2 million, followed by substantial investments in renovations, leading to its current estimated worth of $7 – $10 million.

In November 2019, he purchased a condo in Miami for $5 million, and in April 2021, he spent $7.3 million on the entire ninth floor of another building in Miami.