Inter Miami's deal with Lionel Messi was worth up to $150 million over 2.5 years initially, including salary, bonuses, and equity, plus unique revenue-sharing with Apple and Adidas for kit sales, making his total compensation around $50-60 million annually, far exceeding his $20.4m base salary and significantly boosting club revenue.
Messi joined Inter Miami in July 2023, and his current contract is due to expire at the end of this season. His annual salary was $20.45 million this season, and the total value of his initial contract was $130 million to $150 million, which includes equity in the club upon the completion of his playing days.
$1.6 billion was reportedly what Messi turned down from the Saudi League to join Inter Miami and MLS. Although, he will get paid in other ways including a share of Adidas Kit sales, Apple TV season pass revenue, and an option for ownership in the club when he retires.
🗣️ "In fact, we contacted Messi at the end of his contract in Paris." "We presented him with an offer of 💲1.5 million euros, but the player rejected it because his family wanted to live in Miami." 🗣️ "It's surprising that a player could decline an offer for the sake of his family." He managed to convince his family, ...
One year ago, Al Hilal was offering Lionel Messi €1.5 billion to join their club. He rejected it. One year later he arrives at Al Hilal to play against them and this is how they received him.
No, Barcelona has officially settled its deferred salary debt to Lionel Messi and other 2020 squad members as of June 2025, making the final €16 million payment and closing out the original €121.7 million owed from pandemic-era salary cuts, though he'd been receiving payments for years prior. Messi received the largest share of the deferred wages, with his final installment around €5.96 million, marking the end of a long financial obligation that began with his contract restructuring.
FC Barcelona to Earn $1 Billion in Income for 2019/2020 Season. Football club earns a projected $1.089 billion in turnover for the year. Football club FC Barcelona has surpassed its budget goal for the 2019/2020 season and earned a record turnover of more than $1 billion.
Cristiano Ronaldo's football career has been a series of glittering firsts, from a record transfer to Real Madrid to scoring more competition goals than any man in history. He's now notched up another huge win off the pitch: becoming the first billionaire player.
Lionel Messi is significantly richer than Virat Kohli, with estimated net worths in late 2025 ranging from $650 million to $850 million compared to Kohli's roughly $127 million (₹1050 crore). Messi's wealth stems from massive football contracts, lucrative deals with brands like Adidas, and investments, while Kohli earns primarily from his BCCI/IPL contracts and major endorsements in India, but Messi's overall fortune dwarfs Kohli's.
A 21-month jail term handed down last year to Barcelona and Argentina footballer Lionel Messi has been confirmed by Spain's Supreme Court, but he is unlikely to go to prison. Messi and his father Jorge, who manages his finances, were both convicted in 2016 of defrauding Spain of €4.1m (£3.5m; $4.6m) in taxes.
Combining Ballon d'Or, FIFA World Player of the Year and The Best FIFA Men's Player, Messi outperformed Ronaldo 12 to 8 in wins and 24 to 20 in podium finishes. Messi is also the only player in history to win the Ballon d'Or with 3 different clubs (Barcelona, Paris Saint Germain and Inter Miami).
Lionel Messi has received a massive offer of €300M along with huge business opportunities, commercial deals, and an ambassador role for the 2034 FIFA World Cup in Saudi Arabia to join the Saudi League in a deal that would make him the highest-paid player in football history!
Lionel Messi is significantly richer than David Beckham, with an estimated net worth of around $850 million compared to Beckham's roughly $450-$500 million, thanks to massive contracts, endorsements (Apple, Adidas), and business ventures, even as Beckham's Inter Miami ownership stake has grown considerably since Messi joined the team, says Businessday NG. Messi's earnings from his playing career and business ventures have surpassed Beckham's career earnings, making him the wealthier of the two legends.
Yassine Cheuko, Lionel Messi's personal bodyguard at Inter Miami, receives an annual salary of three million dollars — a figure that makes him one of the highest-paid employees at the club outside the pitch.
1. Sachin Tendulkar net worth – richest cricketer in the world. Career summary: Known as the “God of Cricket,” Sachin Tendulkar remains the richest cricketer in the world in 2025. His estimated net worth is around $170 million (₹1,415 crore), built through decades of brand partnerships and investments.
The number 269 referred to Virat's cap number as he was the 269th player to represent India in Tests. Kohli, who admitted that it wasn't an easy call to make, turned up in 123 Tests for India, scoring 9230 runs with 30 hundreds at an average of 46.85.
The list of footballers with the largest personal fortunes is as follows:
Yes, Nike signed Cristiano Ronaldo to a lifetime contract reportedly worth over $1 billion, making him one of only a few athletes (like LeBron James and Michael Jordan) with such a deal, which began around 2016 and pays him tens of millions annually for his ongoing endorsements and massive social media presence.
Cristiano Ronaldo has officially become the world's first trillionaire footballer! 🐐⚽ From humble beginnings to global dominance — his story inspires millions. Watch this emotional and powerful journey of the legend who never stopped believing.
In 1979, Trevor Francis became the first British footballer to command a £1 million transfer fee when he moved from Birmingham City to Nottingham Forest...
All the other clubs in La Liga owed less than €30m. As recently as 2018, Barcelona's financial debt was only €68m, but it is now the highest in Europe, a fair way above Tottenham Hotspur €990m, once again arising from funding a new stadium, and Manchester United €636m.
Rockefeller became the world's first confirmed billionaire in 1916. Standard Oil founder John D. Rockefeller became the first billionaire in 1916. Nineteen individuals had attained the status of centibillionaires, each with a net worth of at least $100 billion, as of January 2026.
These clubs, namely Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Athletic Club, and CA Osasuna, all remain fully owned by their members (socios).