Lionel Messi Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What Is Lionel Messi’s Net Worth?

With a net worth of $850 million, Lionel Messi is a professional athlete from Argentina. Widely considered the best soccer player globally and among the greatest in history, Messi is undoubtedly among, if not the highest-paid player ever. He played for Barcelona from his teenage years until 2021, scoring 672 goals in 778 matches. Following the announcement on August 10, 2021, Messi transferred from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain and represents the Argentina National Team. On December 18, 2022, he and the Argentina team secured the World Cup title.

Messi is probably the highest-paid soccer player worldwide and ranks among the top-paid athletes overall. His groundbreaking contract with Barcelona in 2017 provided him an average base annual salary of $168 million. Additionally, he earns about $70 million annually from endorsements, bringing his total income under that contract to nearly $200 million each year. On June 7, 2023, Messi declared his move to David Beckham’s MLS team, Inter Miami, signing a distinctive deal that incorporates a revenue share from Apple’s MLS season coverage and an equity stake in the team. Further details about this contract will be discussed later, but to summarize, Messi’s base salary at Inter Miami is $60 million, and he will possess a 10% stake in the team by the end of his contract. This stake could be valued at $200 million or more, depending on the team’s valuation after his retirement.

Contrary to claims made by certain less-reliable sources, Lionel Messi IS NOT A BILLIONAIRE. Upon finishing his contract with Barcelona, his total earnings, including endorsements, surpassed $1.6 billion. By our calculations, Messi has earned approximately $1.2 billion in salary and $400 million from endorsements to date. Some sources misinterpret his total lifetime earnings exceeding $1 billion and incorrectly label him as a “billionaire.”

Lionel Messi Salary and Contracts

At the peak of his career with Barcelona, Lionel Messi was clearly the highest-paid soccer player in the world. He signed a contract in 2017 that guaranteed a base salary of $168 million. For several years, the details of his contract were kept confidential, but in January 2021, the Spanish newspaper “El Mundo” leaked the information. Previously, Messi’s annual base salary under another contract was $44.68 million.

In August 2021, Messi joined Paris Saint-Germain, signing a two-year deal that amounts to $75 million per year before taxes, which is roughly $40 million post-tax. Additionally, his contract included performance-related bonuses and a share of jersey sales.

An estimated $70 million comes from endorsements annually for Messi. He holds a lifetime endorsement deal with Adidas.

$1 Billion Saudi Contract

Reports in May 2023 indicated that Lionel Messi was nearing a $1 billion contract with an unnamed team from the Saudi Pro League. The deal would…

It has been reported that Lionel might earn a salary of $400 MILLION every season. If this is accurate, it would almost double the 2.5-year, $535 million contract Cristiano Ronaldo signed in December 2022 with a Saudi Pro League team, Al Nassr. Ultimately, Lionel turned down this offer and chose to join David Beckham’s MLS team, Inter Miami.

Inter Miami

On June 7, 2023, news surfaced that Messi was planning to join MLS’s Inter Miami, co-owned by David Beckham. The reported deal includes a weekly salary of $1.03 million, totaling $54 million annually, for a duration of four years. Interestingly, in addition to his salary, Messi’s Miami contract will benefit from revenue sharing of subscriptions sold by Apple as part of its MLS Season Pass. Subsequent reports indicated that Lionel’s contract with Inter Miami entitles him to $60 million in annual salary along with a 10% ownership stake in the franchise, which has been valued at nearly $2 billion.

Adidas Endorsement

As one of the world’s most recognized athletes, Messi has been an Adidas sponsor since 2006, serving as their primary brand endorser. He initially signed with Nike at the age of 14 but later switched to Adidas. By 2008, Messi had a long-running line of signature Adidas boots and even developed a unique sub-brand named Adidas Messi.

Visit Saudi Endorsement Deal

A leaked contract from June 2023 revealed that Lionel signed a three-year agreement in January 2021, aimed at promoting tourism in Saudi Arabia, which could potentially earn him $25 million. The contract stipulates the following requirements for Lionel:

• #1) Undertake an annual vacation to Saudi Arabia, where he may bring up to 20 friends. All expenses are covered, including travel and five-star lodgings, with a minimum vacation duration of five days.
• #2) Create ten social media posts annually promoting Saudi Arabia, using government-approved hashtags.
• #3) Engage in a yearly tourism advertisement campaign, which last year involved appearing in a promotional video for Visit Saudi.

For the above obligations listed in #2 and #3, he earns $2 million each obligation annually. Additionally, he can earn another $2 million yearly by participating in “charitable work.”

When summed up, over a period of three years, Lionel can accrue $25 million for relatively minimal effort. However, one condition exists: as per the contract reviewed by the Times, Lionel “cannot express any statements that could ‘tarnish’ Saudi Arabia.”

Early Life

Lionel Messi was born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Argentina. His father, Jorge Horacio Messi, worked as a steelworker, while his mother, Celia Maria Cuccittini, was a cleaner part-time. He has a close bond with his two older brothers, Rodrigo and Matias, and a sister, Maria Sol. The family often played soccer together with their cousins, Maximiliano and Emanuel Biancucchi, both of whom also pursued careers in professional football. At just six years old, Messi joined the Rosario soccer club and began playing for Newell’s Old Boys.

At the age of ten, Lionel was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency, and medical treatment became unaffordable for his father. Initially, Newell’s agreed to cover the costs but later withdrew their support. FC Barcelona’s Sporting Director, Carles Rexach, stepped in to offer assistance, saying he would cover Messi’s medical bills if the family relocated to Spain. With the approval of Lionel’s father, a contract was hastily written on a paper napkin, leading to their move to Barcelona in February 2001. They settled into an apartment close to Camp Nou, the club’s stadium. After his mother and siblings returned to Rosario, Messi experienced homesickness while staying in Barcelona with his father. A year later, he was accepted into the Royal Spanish Football Federation, joining the “Baby Dream Team,” which featured Barcelona’s finest young football talents.

Career

At just 17 years old, Lionel made his league debut against RCD Espanyol, becoming the third-youngest player to represent FC Barcelona. At the same time, he also achieved the record for the youngest player to score for Barcelona. During the 2005-2006 season, Messi started receiving a salary as a first-team player and obtained Spanish citizenship. He made his debut in the Spanish First Division league and earned a standing ovation in his inaugural match for scoring alongside superstar Ronaldinho. In his seventeen League appearances, he netted six goals, and in the Champions League, he scored once in six games. By 2006, Messi became the youngest Argentine to both participate in and score at the FIFA World Cup.

Following the World Cup, Messi endured a broken metatarsal during the 2006-2007 season, which sidelined him for three months. He returned to play as a substitute against Racing Santander. In March of that season, he achieved a hat trick against Real Madrid, becoming the first player to do so in the El Clasico since Ivan Zamorano. In the 2007-2008 season, Messi led Barcelona to a top-four finish in La Liga. He earned a nomination for the FIFA ProWorld XI Player Award as a forward. Furthermore, Marca declared him the best player globally, and other media outlets suggested he should receive the Ballon d’Or. In 2009, at the age of 22, he won his first Ballon d’Or and subsequently claimed three more in consecutive years. He also secured an Olympic Gold Medal during the 2008 Summer Olympics. In 2012, Messi shattered La Liga and European records for the most goals in a single season, solidifying his status as Barcelona’s all-time top scorer. In the following two seasons, he became Barcelona’s captain and finished second for the Ballon d’Or behind his longstanding rival, Cristiano Ronaldo. In 2014, Messi guided Argentina to the World Cup finals, where he earned the Golden Ball. Although he announced his retirement in 2016, he reversed his decision and helped Argentina qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. They also secured third place at the 2019 Copa America. In 2019, Messi achieved an unprecedented sixth Ballon d’Or.

2022 World Cup

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

Charity

The Leo Messi Foundation, which Messi established, aims to provide better educational and healthcare opportunities for underprivileged children. Inspired by a visit to a Boston children’s hospital in 2007, an experience he described as profoundly transformative, Messi launched this charitable initiative. Through the foundation, in partnership with Herbalife, financial support is offered for medical treatments, transportation, and recovery for children facing serious health issues. Moreover, since March 2010, Messi has held the title of Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF. He undertook a mission for UNICEF, visiting Haiti to raise public awareness regarding the struggles of children in the country after the devastating earthquake.

In addition to his foundation’s efforts, Lionel participates in individual fundraising projects, such as global football matches, to generate funding for various charitable organizations. He provides financial assistance to numerous youth football clubs in Argentina, including Sarmiento, Rosario Central, Newell’s, River Plate, and Boca Junior. Notably, at his childhood club, Newell’s, he sponsored the construction of a new gym and dormitory within the club’s stadium in 2012. His former coach works as a talent scout for young athletes through the Messi Foundation.

In March 2020, Messi contributed $1 million towards combating the spread of coronavirus. Furthermore, during the COVID-19 crisis, Lionel and his Barcelona Football Club teammates agreed to a 70 percent reduction in their salaries to ensure that no employees of Barcelona would face salary cuts during the global health emergency.

Personal Life

Real Estate

In 2009, Messi acquired a residence in the upscale Barcelona district of Pedrables for $2 million, following which he invested millions in renovations and enhancements. The property today is valued between $7 million and $10 million.

In November 2019, Lionel bought a condominium in Miami for $5 million. Later, in April 2021, he made a purchase of $7.3 million for the entire ninth floor of another building in Miami.