Highlights

• Lionel Messi has a net worth of well over nine figures, making him one of the richest athletes globally.
• Messi's contract with Inter Miami adds significant value to his net worth.
• Messi has endorsement deals with multiple brands, including Socios and Adidas, and his sponsorship portfolio is valued at around £27 million.

Lionel Messi is arguably the biggest name in football, but what is the net worth of the Argentina and Barcelona legend? The South American maestro has changed the landscape of the footballing world over the last decade, breaking records at will and scoring impossible goals for fun.

With the GOAT of the beautiful game finally getting his hands on the World Cup trophy with a phenomenal tournament in Qatar towards the end of 2022 and his record eighth Ballon d'Or success in 2023, his stock is arguably even higher than it has ever been.

There was an opportunity for Messi to join rival Cristiano Ronaldo in the emerging financial powerhouse that is the Saudi Pro League with some eye-watering figures being paid to players in the Middle Eastern division. The 36-year-old turned down this opportunity to join David Beckham's Inter Miami in the USA on a free transfer. His two-year spell with Paris Saint-Germain drew to a close on a positive note with a Ligue 1 title secured.

It was the end of Messi's footballing journey in European football but the opportunities to make money will keep coming for many years to come; so while his net worth is already at a surreal figure, it is likely it will only grow with time. That said, here's everything you need to know about Messi and his net worth, taking into account his current salary, endorsements and more.

Lionel Messi Net Worth 2024

Messi has a net worth of around $600 million (£475,4 million, ₹50,012 billion), making him not only the richest footballer in the world, but also one of the wealthiest athletes globally - he came tenth in the ranking of the 50 richest athletes in the world, behind Michael Jordan ($3 billion), Vince McMahon ($2,6 billion) or Ion Tiriac ($1,2 billion). This comes as no real surprise with the vast amounts of success he has attained over his storied, 20-year-long career. It is important to stress that this figure was last updated in March 2023, meaning it did precede Messi's blockbuster move to Inter Miami after bringing his career in Europe to a close in the summer of 2023.

It is expected that the Argentine superstar will earn $54 million per year while representing Inter Miami, and this could even add to his net worth. It is also important to remember that all these figures do not necessarily include the various bonuses for results, appearances, goals or assists that were undoubtedly negotiated in Messi's contract when he arrived in Major League Soccer (MLS). To make things easier for those from other different parts of the world, we have provided further information below.

Current Salary

In terms of pounds sterling, this equates to slightly more than £44,7 million per year (or ₹4,501 billion) as of March 2024, a very healthy amount for a player towards the tail-end of their playing career. At 36 years old, Messi still has plenty to offer to the world of football as the greatest player of all time enters the twilight of his career.

As previously mentioned, Messi can command a substantial salary at Inter Miami, considering his talents and worldwide appeal in terms of merchandising and brand recognition. He may be the best player in world football, but he isn't the highest-paid player in the world, as Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Neymar, N'Golo Kante and Kylian Mbappe are all reportedly earning higher figures.

Four of those players are acquisitions of the Saudi Pro League and Mbappe is the highest-paid player in Europe currently, as Messi's former teammate was handed a bumper contract in 2022 to fend off strong interest from Real Madrid.

The GOAT is reported to be earning $54 million annually, which equates to just over $1 million every week. It is a huge amount of money, and it also has to be pointed out that Messi would have received a very lucrative signing-on bonus when moving to the States due to the fact he was being brought in on a free transfer. That's even more money to add to the coffers for the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.

Earning from endorsements

It was revealed in March 2022 (via Forbes) that Messi had signed an endorsement deal with fan engagement app Socios, which was expected to pay him $20 million annually. Messi would also have signed a lucrative 'Saudi Tourism Deal' which would see him earn up to $25 million if he were to carry out the following provisions:

• Take an annual vacation to Saudi Arabia. He can bring up to 20 friends. All expenses are paid, including travel and five-star accommodations. The vacation must last a minimum of five days.
• Make 10 social media posts per year that promote Saudi Arabia using hashtags that are approved by the kingdom.
• Participate in an annual tourism ad campaign. Last year, that meant appearing in a single promotional video for Visit Saudi.

For points 2 and 3 above, he is paid $2 million per obligation, per year. He can then make another $2 million per year to participate in "charitable work."

This was in addition to existing endorsement deals with mega-brands Pepsi, Turkish Airlines, Gillette and, of course, a blockbuster deal with sports apparel brand Adidas. Messi's sponsorship portfolio is believed to be in the region of £27 million.

Messi can be seen in adverts for global brands such as Louis Vuitton, MasterCard and Pepsi. Several other brands have used the reach of the Argentine phenomenon to promote their products, such as Gatorade and Lay's.

Charity work

Messi's considerable charity is mostly conducted through various sources and ventures he trusts. He has his own organisation, the Leo Messi Foundation, which he asked for donations instead of wedding gifts when he married long-term partner Antonella Roccuzzo. This is a very generous thing to do and adds to the belief that Messi is an all-around great person, just as he is a footballer. Most of his charitable efforts are related to vulnerable children and their healthcare, and he was named a UNICEF ambassador in 2010.

The COVID-19 pandemic that broke out across the globe in 2020 was a tough time for people around the globe, but Messi used this as an opportunity to help out those in need as he donated $1 million to hospitals across Spain and Argentina. When football players - or any celebrities for that matter - use their wide resources and reach to have a positive impact on the world, it is always very heartwarming to see.

Assets

As expected, the GOAT has quite a few assets to his name, including a reported $2 million home in Barcelona. "In 2009 Messi paid $2 million for a home in a Barcelona neighbourhood called Pedrables. He then spent millions on renovations and upgrades. The home is estimated to be worth $7 – $10 million today," the site reports.

It is also stated within the report that as part of his deal to join Inter Miami, the Barcelona legend's deal includes a revenue share of subscriptions sold by Apple's coverage of the MLS.

NFTs and Crypto

Many of the world's biggest sports stars have gotten into the crypto and NFT game, and Messi is no different. The GOAT works in partnership with Ethernity, a company that also works with the likes of Pele and Luka Modric, among others.

One of the NFT collections that have been released alongside the world-renowned player is Lionel Messi: "Man Of The Past" - depicting Messi, from behind, in the form of a cyborg, wearing the legendary number 10 he wore for Barcelona and the Argentina national team. The creator of the piece, BossLogic, described the crypto asset as follows:

We have followed his past, we are with him in the present, and I'm certain when the world is mimicked by AI, we will see him in the cyber football leagues of tomorrow.

All informations courtesy of Wealthy Gorilla, Ethernity and Celebrity Net Worth