Lionel Messi is the second highest paid footballer in the world, ranking just behind his arch-nemesis Cristiano Ronaldo. Take a peek at how much he earns in a week.
His Time At Barcelona
It was the end of a beautiful era and a reign when Barcelona announced that Messi would have to leave the club because of the La Liga financial obstacles. Over his 21 years with the the Spanish giants, Messi is responsible for a record-breaking 672 goals and had 268 assists on his way to 35 titles and 78 awards, including a record for six Ballon d’Or trophies for the sport’s best player.
He also pocketed nearly $900 million in salary and bonus and another $350 million from endorsements. This took his total revenue generated to over a massive $1 Billion throughout his career.
Messi’s net worth is estimated to be around $400 Million as of 2021. One must know that these figures are speculative, though, especially as his business interests tend not to be widely publicised.
Building His Fortune
His new salary at PSG is a cut from what he would have made if he could have stayed at Barça but keeps him the sport’s highest-paid player on the pitch, along with Neymar, with who he reunites in Paris after being teammates in the Catalan capital from 2013 to 2017.
After agreeing a deal with PSG, it is expected that Messi will receive in the region of €30 million-35 million per season during his time at the Ligue 1 side, while there will also be team and individual bonuses.
However, some reports claim his weekly wage is said to be over €1 Million.
He has several brand sponsorships and brand deals which form a large part of his wealth.
One of his biggest and most lucrative endorsements is that of Adidas, of whom he is the Brand Ambassador.
A few months or so after Cristiano Ronaldo signed a big deal with Nike in that is rumoured to be similar to the lifetime agreement which is penned by basketball star LeBron James  and potentially worth $1 billion.
Messi, lo and behold, did similar with Adidas. The exact terms were not disclosed. However, reports in Spain suggest it will make him enough to put through at least until the end of his playing career.
Messi has also been part of successful ad campaigns with Gillette, Pepsi and Turkish Airlines. As part of their 2020 celebrity rich list, Forbes valued his endorsements at $37m for that year in total. It has maintained around the same amount, with the 2021 list stating his off-field earnings stood at $33m.
Messi also earns his millions from his own apparel store, The Messi Store. He has also diversified his investments. Like, purchasing expensive property in prime areas to cryptocurrency and NFTs.
