Lionel Messi salary, net worth: What it will take to lure him away from FC Barcelona

Lionel Messi dropped a bombshell by triggering a rare clause in his contract and almost confirmed that he is set to leave FC Barcelona – the only club that he has represented in his career so far. The decision comes 10 days after Barcelona’s humiliating 8-2 loss in the Champions League quarter-final against the eventual winners Bayern Munich. The Argentine star was club-bound till May, 2021 but has triggered a clause that allows him to leave next month. He has even told Barcelona that he will not undergo the Covid-19 test this weekend, which is mandatory for everyone at the club before they resume training for next season. 

However, the exit won’t be as smooth as expected. The star-forward is one of the highest paid footballers in the world and only a few clubs can actually afford his wages, especially during the COVID-19 hit football economy.  

How much Messi earns at Barcelona? 

There is no surprise that Lionel Messi was the highest paid footballer in the world in 2019 with Barcelona shelling out staggering £120 million ($156 million) in wages. This includes wages, bonuses, endorsements, commercial revenue as well as other streams. His closes rival Cristiano Ronaldo occupied the second spot in the list. The 35-year-old pocketed £109 million ($142 million) the previous year, which also marked his first full campaign with Juventus.  

WATCH Zee Business TV LIVE Streaming Online

Going by the spending capabilities, there are only two clubs that can afford Messi’s wages right now – Manchester City and Paris Saint Germain. The former is believed to be the front-runner in a move that will reunite Messi with ex-Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola. However, City has just overturned a UEFA ban due to its financial spending and would not want to end up in a similar situation. You can expect the club to sell two to three players to actually afford Messi.  

One can also not rule out a move to PSG, where Messi can be reunited with his former partner in crime Neymar – a player the current Barcelona captain has admired for the longest time. In fact, Messi had pushed Barcelona to re-sign Neymar from PSG but the move never happened.  

The problem, however, is that PSG already have two-high wage stars (Neymar and Mbappe) on its books.  

There are also whispers that Roman Abramovic’s Chelsea might make a move for the 33-year-old but the idea seems far-fetched with the London club already having spent big on Timo Werner and Hakin Ziyech. The club is also in the market for $100 million Leverkusen playmaker Kai Havertz. 

What is Messi’s net worth? 

The six-time Ballon D’Or winner has a net worth of $400 million, according to celebrity net worth. Apart from the usual wages, he is tipped to earn around additional $40 million every year from endorsements. He has a long-term deal with Adidas and received his own sub-brand of boots called Adidas Messi. 

The Argentina skipper has also remained on the cover of many popular games like FIFA and PES. The rumour has it that the latter plans to have both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi on the cover of its next edition. This brings in additional revenue for the player.