Lionel Messi Net Worth: How Much Has the Argentine Star Earned Before Inter Miami Move?

Lionel Messi is heading to the MLS after he agreed to sign with Inter Miami, who beat competition from Saudi Arabia club Al-Hilal and FC Barcelona. He has had plenty of earnings throughout his career, especially raking in millions in salary with his time in FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, which undoubtedly increased his net worth.

Messi had been with FC Barcelona for much of his storied career, from his days in the team's youth league to winning La Liga and the Champions League multiple times. However, the team faced various financial difficulties, resulting in its greatest player ever transferring to PSG in 2021, per ClutchPoints.

He has had a stellar 2023 so far, being the second highest-paid athlete in the world behind Cristiano Ronaldo. Lionel Messi's earnings for the year are around $130 million as of May. This comes from not only his now-expired PSG contract but also his deals with various companies like Adidas.

His time in Paris was not without controversy though, as he was infamously booed in his final match with PSG. The French also may have not forgotten that it was he who took away their World Cup win as Messi returned the historic trophy back to South America.

Lionel Messi Net Worth

The Argentinian soccer legend has already earned over $1 billion through the years, all stemming from his salary as a soccer player, his endorsement deals, and a few business dealings. This begs the question: how much is Lionel Messi's net worth before his big move to Inter Miami?

Messi now has a net worth of US$600 million and is far richer than many of the athletes playing in the same league, let alone other sports. He is still not as rich as other athletes who have more deals on the side like LeBron James, who is now worth a billion dollars thanks to his basketball career and his business dealings.

READ MORE: Lionel Messi's Crazy Contract Details with Inter Miami, Revealed

As for Messi, his other businesses are in Argentina, most of which are found in his hometown of Rosario where he has invested much into ventures like the Azahares del Parana project, which can be described as a "resort, a retreat and a paradise rolled into one." He also has his own clothing line with its own retail outlet called the Messi Store, as well as his own charity, the Leo Messi Foundation.

Lionel Messi Transfer to Inter Miami Surprised Many

Many believed the competition to land one of soccer's greatest players came down to FC Barcelona and Saudi Arabia, with Inter Miami being regarded by many as only a distant possibility.

This came as rumors stated that he was offered somewhere between $400 million and $600 million per year to play in Saudi. Compare that to Inter Miami's 2022 revenue which was only worth $56 million.

According to Yahoo! Sports, no exact terms of how much he willl earn from his contract have been released yet, but it will undoubtedly make the Argentinian the highest-earning player in the league. While salary caps are in place for the MLS, its rules allow teams to go over. In the case of Messi, it certainly will.

When David Beckham transferred to the LA Galaxy, the league bent its own rules and instituted the Beckham Rule, now called the designated player (DP) rule. It allows teams to spend limitlessly beyond the salary cap on three players, giving them flexibility. However, some experts noted that Messi might have preferred his family living in Miami than in Saudi.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Inter Miami players react to Messi News - CBSs Miami