Lionel Messi's final contract with Barcelona, signed in 2017 and revealed in 2021, was worth a staggering €555.2 million (around $674 million at the time) gross over four seasons, making it the most lucrative in sports history, with potential earnings up to €138 million per season including bonuses, though he wouldn't earn the full amount due to performance clauses and pandemic-related cuts, ultimately receiving roughly €297 million net.
As a result, Messi was reportedly paid €210,297 per day after deductions between 2017 and 2021. That's a massive weekly take-home of €1,472,079 – “insane” money, according to two-time NBA champion Kevin Durant.
🗣️ "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, ...
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.
$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.
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.
Cristiano Ronaldo became the first footballer to hit a $1 billion net worth - but that's not even the most impressive part. In an interview, he revealed he's been planning for retirement since age 28, and doesn't want to coach… he wants to own a team.
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.
Lionel Messi is richer than David Beckham by a significant margin, with Messi's net worth estimated around $850 million compared to Beckham's ~$450-$500 million, though Beckham has built a substantial business empire post-retirement, including a stake in Inter Miami CF where Messi now plays. Messi's wealth comes from massive contracts and endorsements, while Beckham's comes from business ventures, endorsements, and club ownership.
Barcelona's liabilities have reached 2.5 billion euros ($2.9 billion), according to the club's treasurer. That burden, mostly related to a stadium refurbishment that the club says should be considered separately from its other debt, is roughly twice as large as that of its big rival, Real Madrid.
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.
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.
Messi, one of the world's top footballers, has an estimated net worth of around $600 million. Cristiano Ronaldo, who is equally celebrated in the football community, has a net worth estimated between $550 million and $600 million. Together, their total net worth reaches approximately $1.2 billion.
Financial Debt
Despite the technical reduction, Barcelona's €1.5 bln gross debt is still the highest in Spain, just ahead of Real Madrid's €1.4 bln, also driven by stadium development (2023/24 figure). The next highest debts in Spain were at Atletico Madrid €429m, Valencia €158m, Real Betis €129m and Getafe €70m.
Lionel Messi: ₹7,500 Crore - Football's greatest artist. Shah Rukh Khan: ₹12,500 Crore - Cinema's eternal king.
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.
The "GOAT" (Greatest Of All Time) in football is a subjective debate, but Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are overwhelmingly considered the top contenders, with Messi often edging out due with recent major wins like the 2022 World Cup, though Ronaldo's longevity and dominance in multiple leagues also make a strong case, with many legends and publications naming Messi as #1. Other historical greats like Pelé and Maradona are also part of the conversation.
Top 5 richest footballers in the world: Faiq Bolkiah, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and more
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.
So why did Messi sign with Adidas? One version of the story had Nike declining to match Adidas's $1 million per year offer. A different version was offered in this 2022 Wall Street Journal article: Signed a lifetime contract in 2017, reportedly earning him $27 million annually.
Yes, Cristiano Ronaldo became the first footballer to become a billionaire in late 2025, with his net worth estimated at $1.4 billion by the {Bloomberg Billionaires Index}. This milestone was reached due to his lucrative, tax-free contract with Saudi club Al-Nassr and extensive endorsements with brands like Nike, solidifying his status as a global sports and business icon.
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.
His contract with Al Nassr runs until 2027, and Saudi Arabia does not charge personal income tax. He reportedly earns about $250 million per year, gets a 15% stake in the club worth roughly $45 million, and also earns bonuses like around $110,000 for every goal he scores.
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...