Lionel Messi net worth 2026: How much Messi worth now?

January 23, 2026 • 0 • min read

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Lionel Messi net worth 2026: How much Messi worth now?

Lionel Messi's name still commands headlines - on the pitch, in the boardroom and on balance sheets.

But when fans and readers ask the simple question, "How much is Messi worth now?", the true answer is slightly more complicated than a single number.

That's because celebrity wealth isn't measured with one universal method.

It depends on what's included - cash savings, property, investments, business interests, licensing revenue and (in Messi's case) potential football club equity. As a result, estimates vary.

Still, the overall picture is clear: Messi is one of the wealthiest athletes in history, with reputable valuations placing him in the upper hundreds of millions, and some calculations putting him at or above the billion-dollar mark.

Why net worth figures vary so much

It's worth separating two concepts that are often confused:

Annual earnings: how much Messi makes in a year (salary + endorsements)
Net worth: the value of everything he owns, minus liabilities, built over two decades

Annual income is a flow, whilst net worth is a stock.

Even if Messi earns "only" a certain amount this year, that tells you little about what he has accumulated, invested or converted into long-term assets since his Barcelona peak years.

That's why different outlets publish different headline figures - even when all are attempting to be accurate.

Messi's annual earnings remain elite

Messi continues to rank among the highest-paid athletes on Earth, with triple-figure millions commonly reported in combined salary and endorsement earnings in recent annual rankings.

Whilst exact totals change year to year - and depend on bonuses, commercial clauses and new partnership deals - the core point doesn't: Messi still generates extraordinary annual income, even in the later stage of his career.

Where Messi's money comes from: the three-part wealth engine

Messi's fortune comes from a familiar superstar formula, but executed at a rare, global scale:

1) Football salary (Inter Miami and MLS)

Messi's move to Major League Soccer dramatically reshaped the commercial side of his career.

Reporting around the deal suggested a high-value package combining guaranteed payments with commercially significant elements.

The Inter Miami contract has been widely described as worth roughly $150 million over its initial term, and structured in ways that could take his annual on-field earnings up to around $60 million per year, depending on the components included.

What makes this deal different isn't just the salary - it's how deeply it connects Messi to the business ecosystem around the league.

2) Endorsements (global, long-term, brand-safe)

Even compared with other legends, Messi's endorsement profile is unusually durable.

His wealth is strongly supported by:

adidas (a long-running relationship often discussed in terms associated with lifetime value)
Major global partnerships, product lines and licensing agreements
Ongoing campaigns that keep his commercial value high even off the pitch

Industry reporting suggests Messi's endorsement earnings can run into the tens of millions per year, and over time this becomes a major pillar of long-term net worth - particularly because endorsement income often scales globally and persists beyond retirement.

3) Business stakes and equity (the "billion-dollar" argument)

One factor repeatedly cited in billionaire-level estimates is Messi's reported ownership option connected to Inter Miami.

A distinctive element of the Inter Miami arrangement was a widely reported clause giving Messi the option to acquire an ownership stake after retirement - commonly discussed as around 10%.

If club valuations rise (as they often do in major US sports markets), even a minority stake could be worth hundreds of millions, depending on:

Inter Miami's valuation trajectory
MLS expansion and media-rights growth
Sponsorship and merchandising performance

This is the component that pushes some estimates beyond "very rich" into near-billionaire territory, because equity value can leap rapidly with valuations.

The 'Messi effect': Inter Miami's commercial boom

Messi didn't just join a club - he transformed a business.

His arrival in the US triggered a widely reported surge across key commercial metrics, including:

ticket demand
sponsorship revenue
merchandising
global attention for Inter Miami and the MLS

That kind of growth typically boosts a club's valuation, and that matters enormously if Messi holds, or may later receive, equity.

In valuation terms, it's a compounding engine: the bigger the Messi brand effect, the higher the club value, and the more valuable the stake could become.

Conclusion

If you only include traditional categories - cash, property, bankable investments - Messi is widely estimated at around $850 million.

If you incorporate business holdings, licensing value and potential ownership equity at Inter Miami, some models argue Messi is at or above $1 billion in total wealth - particularly if valuations continue rising.

Whatever the exact number, the conclusion is simple: Lionel Messi remains one of the richest sports stars ever, and his financial legacy may outlast his playing career.

Quick FAQ

Q: Has Lionel Messi reached billionaire status?

A: Not by mainstream published estimates. Most public compilers place him near $850 million in early 2026. More aggressive valuations that include future lifetime earnings or optimistic equity value can push him closer to $1 billion, but that's not the standard consensus.

Q: How much did Messi earn in 2025?

A: About $130-135 million for the calendar year, according to the style of earnings lists produced by Forbes/Sportico-type reporting, which blends on-field income and endorsements.

Q: Does Messi earn money from Apple or MLS broadcasting?

A: Messi's MLS-era contract has been widely discussed as including commercially linked elements - such as revenue-sharing style structures tied to the league's broader media and commercial ecosystem - which can boost total earnings beyond base salary.

Q: Is Messi's net worth stable?

A: Relatively stable, but sensitive to big commercial deals, equity realisations (e.g., selling a stake in a company or Inter Miami), and endorsement renewals. Exchange rates, taxes and philanthropic giving also change the picture.

Q: How does Messi's net worth compare to Cristiano Ronaldo's?

A: Both Messi and Ronaldo are among the wealthiest footballers in history. Their exact ranking depends on the source, but both are routinely estimated in the hundreds of millions, with some models placing either player near or above $1 billion when including business holdings.

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