Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas said this week that Lionel Messi’s compensation amounts to about $70 million to $80 million a year, when including his ownership share in the team.
“The reason that I need to have sponsors and for them to be world class is because players are expensive,” Mas said in quotes carried by Bloomberg. “I pay Messi — worth every penny — but it’s $70 million to $80 million a year. Across everything.”
According to the MLS Players’ Association salary release, Messi makes a base salary of $12 million, with guaranteed compensation — calculated by the union as adding all bonuses amortized over the lifetime of the contract — at $20.45 million.
Messi was the highest-paid player in MLS last season, ranking ahead of LAFC’s Son Heung-min, who made $11.15 million in guaranteed compensation and Miami’s Sergio Busquets, who made $8.75 million. Busquets retired at the end of the season.
Messi, though, signed a deal with Inter Miami that included percentage ownership in the club, which significantly enhances the value of his contract. Miami was valued around $585 million in 2023 before Messi signed. Forbes valued Miami at $1.35 billion in its latest ratings this season.
While neither Mas, MLS nor Messi have confirmed the size of the stake Messi has in Inter Miami, Mas’s estimates indicate it is worth at least $60 million per year, if Messi’s salary structure remains the same in his extension — which runs through the end of the 2028-29 season.
Messi and Mas (Elsa/Getty Images)
Sources previously told The Athletic that Messi’s deal was worth between $50 and $70 million, depending on the valuation of Inter Miami’s franchise. As that has continued to rise, so too has the value of Messi’s contract. It is also not clear whether Messi received more equity when he signed his extension with Miami, which would boost the value of his time in MLS.
Jorge Mas, his brother Jose Mas and David Beckham are the primary owners of Inter Miami. Messi’s stake will activate upon his retirement, sources briefed on the deal previously told The Athletic.
Messi also signed separate contracts with Fanatics and Apple upon his arrival to MLS. The compensation from those deals, and any arrangements with Adidas, which previously had a deal with both Messi and MLS, is not included in his contract with Inter Miami.