Lionel Messi. Getty/Catherine Ivill
Lionel Messi is one of the most famous athletes on the planet.
He’s also one of the wealthiest.
With an unprecedented eight Ballon d’Ors to his name and a World Cup title added to his list of accolades, the Argentine soccer legend is undeniably the most decorated man in his sport. And all that success on the pitch has come with an incredible fortune.
Messi ranks second on Forbes’ list of the year’s highest-paid athletes, having raked in a whopping $130 million between May 2022 and May 2023. Having landed within the top-five highest-earning athletes on that list every year since 2014, the Inter Miami star has amassed a massive net worth that allows him to life a life of luxury.
Here’s how he makes and spends his millions:
AdvertisementLionel Messi makes a ton of money on the field.
Lionel Messi with Inter Miami. CHANDAN KHANNA/Getty Images
Messi took home a mind-boggling $65 million in on-field earnings over the last year — more than all but one soccer player on the planet.
His Inter Miami salary alone is worth $20,446,667 annually, per AP News, which means he earns roughly $393,000 per week or $56,000 per day from the Major League Soccer club. And those metrics don’t even include Messi’s added income from his signing bonus and equity in the team, which may add up to a whopping $150 million over 2.5 years, according to Sportico.
Plus, joining the US-based league reportedly came with incentives from MLS’ partners — Adidas and Apple TV — so his total income is likely closer to $200 million.
AdvertisementThe Argentine also earns plenty of money away from the pitch.
Lionel Messi poses with a pair of cleats at an Adidas event. REUTERS/Albert Gea
Messi’s off-field earnings of $65 million over the last year can only be topped by tennis icon Roger Federer, fellow soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, and NBA legend LeBron James, per Forbes.
On top of a $20 million-a-year partnership with cryptocurrency “fan token” platform Socios — which he inked in March 2022, according to Forbes — the 36-year-old’s endorsement portfolio includes deals with Budweiser, Gatorade, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, Mastercard, and PepsiCo. In 2021, Messi also became Hard Rock International’s first-ever athlete brand ambassador.
But the crown jewel of Messi’s already-lucrative endorsement portfolio is his gargantuan deal with Adidas. The sportswear giant has long sponsored the speedy superstar, but in 2017, he signed a new contract with the brand for a reported $25 million annually, for life.
AdvertisementMessi is estimated to have a net worth in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
Lionel Messi with Argentina. Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP Images
Though no official measure of Messi’s total fortune is publicly available, sources like Newsweek and Goal estimate that his net worth falls somewhere between $400 million and $600 million.
In 2022, Forbes also reported that the soccer great had earned a whopping $1.15 billion — yes, with a B — over the course of his career. Only three currently active athletes – LeBron James, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Tiger Woods – have ever earned more. Just two additional athletes — Roger Federer and Floyd Mayweather — exceeded $1 billion while they were active in their careers, per Forbes.
AdvertisementMessi likes to spend his money on luxury cars.
Lionel Messi owns a Ferrari F430 Spyder. Getty/Victor Malafronte
According to Goal, Messi’s impressive car collection includes a $2 million Pagani Zonda Tricolore, a Ferrari F430 Spyder, a Dodge Charger SRT8, and a Maserati Gran Turismo.
The Argentine is rumored to have bought the most expensive car ever, a 1957 Ferrari 335 Sport Spider Scaglietti, for $37 million in 2016. He appeared to deny the speculation, however, by way of an Instagram post in which he shared a photo of himself holding up a toy car with the caption, “My new car.”
tHe owns a host of stunning properties.
Lionel Messi warming up ahead of a match. Hussein Malla/AP
Messi has a rather luxurious real estate portfolio, which includes his stunning $7 million mansion on the outskirts of Barcelona.
Located in the exclusive, no-fly zone suburb of Castelldefels, the property includes a pool, indoor gym, theater, and spa. The home also boasts stunning views of the Catalan mountains and the nearby beach, according to Architectural Digest.
There’s also a football pitch where Messi likes to kick a ball around with his dog, Hulk.
Messi also owns an “eco-house” themed around his career, a mansion in his home town of Rosario, Argentina, and the entire floor of a luxury condominium in Saint Isles Beach, Florida, which he paid $7.3 million for in 2021, according to The Real Deal.
Once he decided to sign with Inter Miami in July 2023, Messi moved his family into a $10.75 million waterfront mansion in nearby Fort Lauderdale, per WPTV. The eight-bedroom, 10-bathroom home has a three-car garage, outdoor pool with a waterfall, and plenty of space for his three sons to spread out.
AdvertisementMessi has also invested in a number of hotels.
Lionel Messi. Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
Since 2017, Messi has owned the hotel chain MiM Hotels, operated by Majestic Hotel Group, which has resorts in Ibiza, Majorca, and more.
In 2021, the chain opened its first winter resort in the the heart of the Pyrenees, in the Aran Valley.
The four-star hotel has 141 rooms and includes a spa, an indoor swimming pool, a fitness center, and mountain guide services, according to Forbes.
The brand also had a hotel in Barcelona, but it’s since been shut down. Messi bought the building in 2017 for $35 million, at which point its demolition had already been approved because its balconies are too big.
He was unable to fix the issue, as any attempt to remove or downsize the balconies could result in the hotel collapsing.
Whoops.
AdvertisementTo get around the world, Messi flies in his $15 million private jet.
Lionel Messi gets off of a plane. AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin
Messi’s 2004 Gulfstream V private jet, includes two kitchens and bathrooms, and can accommodate up to sixteen passengers, according to the South Morning China Post.
It features the number 10 – his shirt number from his time at Barcelona – on its tail and the names of his wife, Antonella, and their children on its steps.
—Xinhua Sports (@XHSports) December 11, 2018AdvertisementHe likes to vacation in Ibiza.
Lionel Messi prepares to jet ski in Ibiza. Europa Press Entertainment/Europa Press via Getty Images
Last summer, Messi celebrated his 35th birthday with his family at the Ushuaia, a beach hotel in Ibiza.
The soccer star’s former Barcelona teammates Cesc Fabregas and Luis Suarez and their wives also joined.
Messi is very generous with his wealth.
Lionel Messi celebrates with the World Cup. Gustavo Pagano/Getty Images
The Lionel Messi Foundation, formed in 2007 in partnership with UNICEF, helps vulnerable children around the world.
In 2017, Messi donated his own money to help the foundation build classrooms for 1,600 war-orphaned children in Syria, according to UNICEF, while in 2019, the foundation donated $218,000 to provide food and water for citizens in Kenya, reports Goal.
“It excites me every day that I get a child smiling, when he thinks there is hope, when I see that they feel happy,” reads a statement from Messi on the foundation’s website.
“That’s why we decided to create the Leo Messi Foundation, and I will continue to fight to make the children happy with the same strength and dedication that I need to continue being a soccer player.”
