Widely regarded as one of the world’s best players of all time, Lionel Messi has a net worth of $600 million. The 41-year-old is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain where he is paid an annual salary of $75 million.
Messi, who is currently in the ranks of the world’s highest-paid athletes has made about $55 million from several lucrative endorsements. Over time, he has channeled his resources to charitable organizations that reach out to disadvantaged children and adolescents.
How Lionel Messi Made All His Money
Messi is worth $600 million as earlier stated. He was able to accumulate his fortune from his professional career, personal investments, and several endorsement deals.
The player notably made his senior career debut in 2003 with the defunct Barcelona youth team – Barcelona C. He was called up to the Barcelona senior side in 2004 and remained in the club till 2021 when he signed with Paris SG on a free transfer.
According to Forbes.com, the player used to earn $165 million in salary and incentives while he was in Barcelona. However, his current salary and winnings in Paris SG are put at $75 million. This indicates that the player was receiving a remuneration that was much higher while he was in Barcelona. Be that as it may, he had to leave because the Spanish club was heavily indebted and could not continue to meet up with his pay even if it were cut by 50%.
Away from sports, the player is making money from his clothing line. He opened his first retail outlet in 2019 and decided to name it Messi Store.
Furthermore, he kicked off an investment company called Play Time in 2022. Based in Califonia, the company which is in partnership with Silicon Valley executives Razmig Hovaghimian and Michael Marquez will look to invest in promising teams and football technology start-ups.
A Quick Look at Some of His Endorsement Deals
As indicated, Lionel Messi has made over $55 million from several endorsement deals. He has been sponsored by Adidas since 2006 and has remained the company’s leading brand endorser. According to reports, his recent deal with Adidas was for £25million.
Apart from Adidas, the player signed an endorsement deal with the fan engagement app Socios in 2022. The deal is set to pay him $20 million annually. Other companies the player is partnering with are
- Anheuser-Busch
- InBev
- Cirque du Soleil
- Gatorade
- Hard Rock Cafe Inc
- Konami
- Ooredoo
- Pepsi
- PepsiCo
- Socios.com
- YPF
- Bitget
- Gatorade
How Does He Spend His Money?
Lionel Messi is a leading example for celebrities when it comes to charity and this has made the list of his charity works to be endless. To begin with, he established his own charitable organization called the Leo Messi Foundation, which supports access to health care, education, and sport for children. More so, for several years now, he has been in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund, otherwise known as UNICEF.
In other developments, Messi won a libel case against La Razón newspaper and was awarded €65,000 in damages, which he donated to the charity Médecins Sans Frontières.
He has also made a donation worth €1 million ($1.1 million) to Clinic Barcelona hospital in Barcelona, Spain, and his native Argentina to fight the spread of covid-19. Furthermore, the player alongside some of his teammates announced he will be taking a 70% cut in salaries during the 2020 coronavirus emergency.
Apart from his charity work in the health sector, the player has invested in youth football in Argentina. He financially supports Sarmiento, a football club based in the Rosario neighborhood where he was born.
The player has also spent a fortune in acquiring landed properties. To say a few, he paid $2 million to acquire a home in a Barcelona neighborhood called Parables. He further spent a lot of money on renovations and upgrades of the house, making it worth $10 million today. Furthermore, he paid $5 million for a condo in Miami in 2019. He also spent over $7 million for the entire 9th floor of a separate building located in Miami.
The Player Was Found to be Guilty of Tax Fraud in 2016
Lionel’s financial affairs were heavily scrutinized in 2013. The player who pleaded ignorance of the alleged scheme voluntarily paid arrears of €5.1 million in August 2013.
Furthermore, Messi and his dad were found to be guilty of tax fraud in 2016 and were handed suspended 21-month prison sentences. They were also respectively ordered to pay €1.7 million and €1.4 million in fines.
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