Lionel Messi‘s extraordinary performances on the soccer subject have made him one of many highest-paid athletes in sports activities historical past, and even after leaving Europe behind, his earnings have saved climbing. Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas has revealed that the membership pays the Argentine star someplace within the vary of $70 million to $80 million yearly, elevating the query of whether or not this represents probably the most profitable deal of his profession.
Inter Miami lately turned probably the most beneficial franchise in MLS historical past, in response to Sportico’s 2026 rankings, with the membership’s valuation reaching $1.45 billion. That monetary construction, nonetheless, is constructed on excess of what occurs on the pitch, with a spread of business and enterprise actions underpinning the membership’s income mannequin.
In a current interview with Bloomberg, Mas supplied a uncommon glimpse into the membership’s funds, noting that sponsorships and industrial offers account for roughly 55% of Inter Miami‘s income. That industrial success has been fueled by the worldwide enchantment of world-class names like Luis Suárez, Rodrigo De Paul and, above all, Messi himself, whereas media rights make up simply 2% of complete income, in response to the co-owner.
It was in that context that Mas dropped the headline determine. “The rationale that I must have sponsors and for them to be world class is as a result of gamers are costly. I pay Messi — value each penny — but it surely’s $70 to $80 million a 12 months. Throughout all the things,” the Inter Miami co-owner mentioned.
Inter Miami CF proprietor Jorge Mas celebrates with Lionel Messi #10.
The MLSPA’s wage information, launched in October 2025 forward of Messi’s contract extension via 2028, listed his base wage at $12 million and his assured compensation at $20.5 million. Mas’ determine, nonetheless, takes a much wider view, encompassing not solely wage but in addition fairness rights and different types of participant compensation.
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Is that this Messi’s largest deal in his membership profession?
Messi has lengthy since transcended soccer to change into a world model in his personal proper, with enterprise ventures spanning luxurious inns (MiM Accommodations), his personal clothes line (The Messi Retailer), sports activities drink model Más+, and co-ownership of Uruguayan facet Deportivo LSM alongside teammate Luis Suárez, amongst quite a few different pursuits. However in terms of direct compensation from his membership, the numbers at Inter Miami will not be fairly unprecedented in his profession.
In 2017, Messi signed what would transform his ultimate and most profitable contract with FC Barcelona, working via June 2021. As revealed by El Mundo, the deal amounted to a complete gross of 555,237,619 euros (round $673 million) over 4 seasons, figuring out to roughly €138.8M per 12 months earlier than taxes, or a internet determine of round €74.9M yearly (roughly $86.4 million), inserting it above even the vary Jorge Mas referenced for Messi’s present Inter Miami association.
That contract was the biggest within the historical past of soccer on the time it was signed. It integrated a set wage, picture rights, a collection of unprecedented signing and loyalty bonuses, per diems and a variety of performance-based incentives. Finally, the deal’s staggering monetary weight contributed to Barcelona’s well-documented financial disaster, and performed a central position in Messi’s abrupt and emotional departure from the membership in 2021.
