scorecardLionel Messi is the highest-paid athlete on the planet. Here's his net worth and how he makes and spends his millions.
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  4. Lionel Messi is the highest-paid athlete on the planet. Here's his net worth and how he makes and spends his millions.

Lionel Messi is the highest-paid athlete on the planet. Here's his net worth and how he makes and spends his millions.

Barnaby Lane   

Lionel Messi is the highest-paid athlete on the planet. Here's his net worth and how he makes and spends his millions.
Lionel Messi.Getty/Tnani Badreddine
  • Lionel Messi is the highest-paid athlete on the planet.
  • He took home $130 million between May 2021 and May 2022, according to Forbes.

Messi makes a ton of money on the field.

Messi makes a ton of money on the field.
Messi is the world's highest-paid athlete.      Getty/Franck Fife

According to Forbes, Messi took home an astonishing $75 million in on-field earnings over the last year – more than any other sportsperson on the planet.

His Paris Saint-Germain salary alone is worth $35 million annually, which means he earns $738,000 a week, or $105,000 a day, or $8,790 per hour.

The Argentine also pocketed a tidy $25 million joining fee when he signed for the French team last summer, reported the Evening Standard.

But he also earns a lot off it.

A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi)

 

Messi's off-field earnings of $55 million over the last year can only be topped by tennis icon Roger Federer and NBA superstar LeBron James.

On top of a $20 million-a-year partnership with cryptocurrency "fan token" platform Socios, the 35-year-old's endorsement portfolio includes deals with Adidas, Budweiser, and PepsiCo.

Last June, he also became Hard Rock International's first ever athlete brand ambassador.

His net worth is an eye-watering $600 million.

His net worth is an eye-watering $600 million.
Leo Messi of Paris Saint-Germain looks on during warmup before the Ligue 1 Uber Eats match between Paris Saint Germain and ESTAC Troyes at Parc des Princes on May 08, 2022 in Paris, France.      Photo by Aurelien Meunier - PSG/PSG via Getty Images

In total, he's earned over $1 billion during his career.

According to Forbes, Messi has earned $1.15 billion during his career on-and-off the field.

Only three currently active athletes – LeBron James, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Tiger Woods – have ever earned more.

Only two other current athletes – Roger Federer and Floyd Mayweather – other than those mentioned above have ever surpassed $1 billion in career earnings, according to Forbes. 

Messi likes to spend his money on luxury cars.

Messi likes to spend his money on luxury cars.
Messi owns a Ferrari F430 Spyder.      Getty/Victor Malafronte

According to Goal, Messi's impressive car collection includes a $2 million Pagani Zonda Tricolore, a Ferrari F430 Spyder, a Dodge Charger SRT8, and a Maserati Gran Turismo.

The Argentine is rumored to have bought the most expensive car ever, a 1957 Ferrari 335 Sport Spider Scaglietti, for $37 million in 2016. He appeared to deny the speculation, however, by way of an Instagram post in which he shared a photo of himself holding up a toy car with the caption, "My new car."

He owns a host of stunning properties.

A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi)

 

The most luxurious of Messi's properties is his $7 million mansion on the outskirts of Barcelona.

Located in the exclusive, no-fly zone suburb of Castelldefels, the property includes a pool, indoor gym, theatre, and spa, as well as stunning views of the Catalan mountains and the nearby beach, according to Architectural Digest.

There's also a football pitch where Messi likes to have a kickabout with his dog, Hulk.

 

Messi also owns an "eco-house" themed around his career, a mansion in his home town of Rosario, Argentina, and the entire floor of a luxury condominium in Saint Isles Beach, Florida, which he paid $7.3 million for in 2021, according to The Real Deal.

As well as a number of hotels.

A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi)

 

Since 2017, Messi has owned the hotel chain MiM Hotels, operated by Majestic Hotel Group, which has resorts in Ibiza, Majorca, and Barcelona.

In 2021, the chain opened its first winter resort in the the heart of the Pyrenees, in the Aran Valley.

The four-star hotel has 141 rooms and includes a spa, an indoor swimming pool, a fitness center, and mountain guide services, according to Forbes.

He has been forced to demolish his hotel in Barcelona, however.

Messi bought the building in 2017 for $35 million, at which point its demolition had already been approved because its balconies are too big.

He's unable to fix the issue too as any attempt to remove or downsize the balconies could result in the hotel collapsing.

Whoops. 

 

To get around the world, Messi flies in his $15 million private jet.

 

Messi's 2004 Gulfstream V private jet, includes two kitchens and bathrooms, and can accommodate up to sixteen passengers, according to the South Morning China Post.

It features the number 10 – his shirt number from his time at Barcelona – on its tail and the names of his wife, Antonella, and their children on its steps.

He likes to vacation in Ibiza.

A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi)

 

This summer, Messi celebrated his 35th birthday with his family at the Ushuaia, a beach hotel in Ibiza.

The soccer star's former Barcelona teammates Cesc Fabregas and Luis Suarez and their wives also joined.

As well as in Argentina.

A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi)

 

And in Miami.

A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi)

 

According to the Miami Herald, Messi chose to vacation on the beaches of South Florida after winning the 2021 Copa America with Argentina.

The PSG star rented a $10,000-a-night, four-story mansion in Key Biscayne, which boasted five bedrooms, five bathrooms, a gym, a rooftop terrace, and an infinity pool, reported the Mirror.

 

 

Messi is very generous with his wealth.

A post shared by Fundación Leo Messi (@fundacionleomessi)

 

The Lionel Messi Foundation, formed in 2007 in partnership with UNICEF, helps vulnerable children around the world.

In 2017, Messi donated his own money to help the foundation build classrooms for 1,600 war-orphaned children in Syria, according to UNICEF, while in 2019, the foundation donated $218,000 to provide food and water for citizens in Kenya, reports Goal.

"It excites me every day that I get a child smiling, when he thinks there is hope, when I see that they feel happy," reads a statement from Messi on the foundation's website.

"That's why we decided to create the Leo Messi Foundation, and I will continue to fight to make the children happy with the same strength and dedication that I need to continue being a soccer player."

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