So, what is the networth of Messi? It is commonly estimated at roughly $600 million or more, based on years of club salaries, bonuses and endorsements as reported by Forbes and other outlets. Forbes has ranked him among the highest-paid athletes in the world for many years, with annual earnings often reported above $100 million. As with every athlete, though, earnings and net worth are different, and the total is not audited.
What is the networth of Messi? The short answer and the caveat
Roughly $600 million is a widely used ballpark, as of the mid-2020s, while some sources go higher. Nobody outside his financial team knows the precise amount, because taxes, fees, investments and spending aren’t disclosed.
How the money came in
Barcelona years
Lionel Messi spent most of his career at FC Barcelona, where his contract made him one of the best-paid players in football. In 2021, leaked reporting from the Spanish newspaper El Mundo described a deal with very large annual pay. I’ll note that the leak was reported and not officially confirmed by the club in full detail.
Paris Saint-Germain
He moved to PSG in 2021 and played there for two seasons, winning the 2022 World Cup with Argentina during that period.
Inter Miami
He joined Inter Miami in Major League Soccer in 2023. The Major League Soccer Players Association’s published salary data has listed his base and guaranteed pay in the tens of millions annually, with additional income from the club’s partnerships. Reports also described an arrangement tied to the league’s broadcast partner Apple and to Adidas revenue share, though the details come from press coverage and aren’t fully public. In late 2025, reports said he agreed to extend his contract with the club.
Endorsements
Adidas is his longtime sponsor, and he has had partnerships with companies in consumer electronics, travel and food. For many seasons, endorsement income has been about as large as his salary in Forbes’s earnings tables.
Business and investments
- He has hotel and hospitality interests, reported through the MiM Hotels brand.
- He has invested in other ventures, with details that vary by report.
- A foundation carries his name, focused on children’s health and education.
Why the number is uncertain
- Salary leaks aren’t always confirmed.
- Taxes differ by country, and he has lived in Spain, France and the United States.
- Legal issues have arisen in the past: he was convicted of tax fraud in Spain in 2017, with a sentence converted to a fine.
- Investment performance is undisclosed.
Comparison with peers
Messi sits near the top of football wealth alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, who also appears in the highest tiers of Forbes’ athlete earnings. Basketball and boxing stars sometimes surpass footballers because they own more of their businesses, but few have matched the sustained earnings across two decades. The key difference between earnings and net worth is explained in our walkthrough on how networth is calculated.
For more on how the best-known lists work, the Forbes billionaires page explains its approach, and Forbes’ athlete lists use a similar earnings-focused method. Always check which year a figure refers to.
Bottom line
Messi’s networth is estimated around $600 million or higher, depending on the source, built on salaries, endorsements and investments. Treat any exact number with caution, and remember that it’s an estimate as of a certain date.
One more detail worth keeping in mind is that Forbes athlete figures cover earnings in a twelve-month window, not total wealth. Combining many such years, then adjusting for taxes and spending, is how outside observers reach a net worth estimate, and small changes in assumptions can move the result by tens of millions of dollars.
Common mistakes in Messi wealth articles
The most frequent mistakes are mixing euros and dollars, quoting a leaked contract as if it were a confirmed net worth, and adding the value of a contract’s total length as though it were already earned. A multi-year deal paid over time is not wealth until paid, and taxes can take a large share. Good coverage names the currency, the year and the source of each figure, and says clearly when something is an estimate.
For fans who follow the sport rather than the money, it’s worth recalling that his reputation rests on trophies, including a record number of Ballon d’Or awards, and the 2022 World Cup win. Those achievements drive his commercial appeal, which in turn sustains the endorsement income that makes up so much of the estimate.
This article is general information, not financial advice.
Photo: Voltmetro, CC BY-SA 4.0, source.
