Lionel Messi earns about $20.4 million annually from his Inter Miami contract, but his total earnings are much higher, estimated around $150 million or more, including massive endorsement deals (like with Apple and Adidas) and revenue sharing, potentially reaching over $100 million from off-field sources alone. His official MLS salary covers his playing contract, while his overall income includes lucrative personal deals.
Lionel Messi (Footballer - Inter Miami - United States) earns a salary of ₹11,73,26,97,257.00 per year.
🗣️ "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, ...
Cristiano Ronaldo is generally considered richer than Lionel Messi, with recent reports placing his net worth around $1.2 to $1.4 billion compared to Messi's estimated $850 million to $1 billion, largely due to his lucrative Al-Nassr contract and extensive business ventures, making him the first footballer to officially cross the billionaire mark.
Jay-Z is significantly richer than Cristiano Ronaldo, with recent estimates placing Jay-Z's net worth around $2.5 - $2.6 billion (as the richest musician), while Ronaldo's net worth is estimated at roughly $1.4 billion, making him the richest footballer by earnings but still trailing the music mogul.
Cristiano Ronaldo, the first billionaire footballer. The valuation takes into account his career earnings, investments and endorsements - BBC.
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.
No, David Beckham is not officially a billionaire, though he and his wife Victoria Beckham are a power couple with a combined fortune around $450-$670 million (£360m-£500m), making them very wealthy but not yet billionaires individually or as a couple, despite reports suggesting he's on the track to billionaire status due to investments like Inter Miami CF.
The list of footballers with the largest personal fortunes is as follows:
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.
Nowadays when people talks about how good Luis Suarez used to be in his prime, it's ALWAYS mentioned the fact he managed to outscore Messi and Ronaldo in 2015-16 season. And fair enough, it was a massively impressive accomplishment.
In Messi's case, he sold his image rights to a Belize company owned by his mother for $50,000. That company, through another shell, then entered into a sponsorship deal with Adidas for €9 million, none of which was taxed in Spain.
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.
$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.
The No. 1 earner this year is Cristiano Ronaldo with $275 million, and LeBron James follows with $133.8 million. As we move through this list, we see how Olympic-linked athletes are now among the richest sports stars on the planet.
How much did Victoria and David lose on the Victoria Beckham brand? In 2022, it was reported that the fashion label was £54 million in debt.
David Beckham's primary known "illness" is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), which he has spoken openly about in his Netflix documentary, describing tiring rituals like arranging items in pairs, straight lines, and intense cleaning, sometimes alongside Tourette's Syndrome, though less is detailed about the latter. He also recently faced physical health issues, undergoing surgery in mid-2025 for a long-standing wrist injury from his football career, requiring a sling and hospitalization.
LeBron is the template for what a long-horizon Nike athlete can become. His lifetime deal, signed in 2015 and widely framed as the largest single-athlete guarantee in company history, sits on top of a signature line that has been moving units since he was a teenager in Cleveland.
Cristiano Ronaldo has become football's first billionaire player, according to financial information and media firm Bloomberg. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index, which tracks the world's richest people based on their net worth, has measured the 40-year-old Portugal and Al-Nassr striker's wealth for the first time.
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.
Cristiano Ronaldo has bought a $73 million Gulfstream G650, one of the fastest private jets in the world. With a range of 7,500 nautical miles, luxurious interiors for 19 passengers, and his signature CR7 branding, this jet is a true symbol of style and speed.
I love Bugatti's. They are beasts." "But I don't drive.