- Lionel Messi is the highest-paid athlete in the world. He’s earned $127 million in the past 12 months, according to Forbes.
- Much of the soccer star’s fortune comes from endorsement deals with companies including Huawei, Gatorade, Pepsi, and a lifelong contract with Adidas.
- Despite his wealth and popularity, Messi is one of the most private people in the sport.
- Messi was convicted of tax fraud in Spain in 2016 and ordered to pay a $250,000 fine.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Lionel Messi is arguably the greatest soccer player alive, and with that success comes fabulous wealth.
Messi is the highest-paid athlete in the world, according to Forbes, ahead of his rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
Despite his wealth and popularity, however, Messi, 31, is one of the most private people in the sport. He lives in a nice house in Spain, but the rest is a mystery.
Keeping reading to see how Lionel Messi makes and spends his millions.
Brandon Wiggins contributed to an earlier version of this post.
Messi has made $127 million between June 2018 and June 2019, according to Forbes.
Source: Forbes
He signed a contract with FC Barcelona in 2017 that pays him over $80 million annually.
Source: Forbes
He made $35 million from endorsements alone between June 2018 and June 2019, according to Forbes.
Source: Forbes
He signed a lifetime deal with Adidas in 2017 that pays $12 million each year, Investopedia estimates.
Source: Investopedia
He also has deals with Huawei, Gatorade, Mastercard, and Pepsi, among others.
Source: Forbes
Messi also collaborated with Jacob & Co. in 2019 to launch his own line of watches, called JACOB&MESSI. The line included a $150,000 diamond-encrusted timepiece.
http://instagr.am/p/BwJ1s7WlAfO
Messi is so valuable to Barcelona that if he ever leaves, the club that buys him will have to pay an $835 million buyout.
Source: The Telegraph
Messi lives in a house in Castelldefels, a mountain village just outside of Barcelona. The house has a garden, a swimming pool, and a football pitch.
Source: TheStreet
He still owns and maintains his childhood home in Argentina, even though no one lives there anymore.
Source: ESPN
Messi is still especially close to his mother.
http://instagr.am/p/BA5fd_TPM3O
And he's good friends with Barcelona teammate Luis Suarez.
http://instagr.am/p/Bi1UOJ_n1eq
He's known to take the occasional private plane, like when he went to the Ballon d'Or gala in Zurich.
http://instagr.am/p/jH2c_nPM6H
He married his long-time girlfriend Antonella Roccuzzo in 2017. The two grew up in the same town in Argentina, and their families are friends.
Source: CNN
They have three children together. The kids are now a staple of Barcelona trophy celebrations.
Despite what we know about how Messi makes his millions, he remains secretive about how he spends them. We get the occasional glimpse into his lavish side, like when he wore a polka-dot suit to an awards ceremony ...
... or when he got a private meeting with the pope, himself a huge soccer fan, in 2013.
Source: Los Angeles Times
In 2013, he agreed to have a gold cast of his foot made and sold to support Japanese tsunami relief. It went for $5 million.
Source: CNN
If his Instagram posts are any indication, he does enjoy a lavish vacation now and again ...
http://instagr.am/p/BWYFj4FFRCw
... as well as chances to meet world-famous musicians, like Colombian singer-songwriter Maluma (pictured below) ...
http://instagr.am/p/BZKGCX4nBiF
... and other famous athletes, like Von Miller of the Denver Broncos (pictured below).
http://instagr.am/p/BfvZOu5nHfd
Messi also has his own nonprofit, The Lionel Messi Foundation, that works to help vulnerable children across the globe. It worked with UNICEF to fund the construction of classrooms in Syria in 2017.
Source: UNICEF
Messi also made headlines in 2016 when he was found guilty of tax fraud. He was ordered to pay a $250,000 fine.
Source: BBC
But, unlike other many famous athletes, he doesn't appear to be actively concerned with using his personal life to grow his brand on social media.
http://instagr.am/p/Be_KLk3ngar
For the most part, Messi posts photos of himself relaxing with family, teammates, or his giant dog.
http://instagr.am/p/BKEAtTtDzhE
Messi's lifestyle is often contrasted with his on-pitch rival Cristiano Ronaldo's, who is known for relishing the spotlight.
Source: TheStreet