Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas has revealed Lionel Messi is earning around $70 million to $80 million a year.
According to the MLS Players’ Association, Messi makes $20.45 million in guaranteed compensation per year, making him the highest-paid player in MLS.
But the Argentine superstar earns far more when including his ownership share in Inter Miami, which is included in his contract.
‘The reason that I need to have sponsors and for them to be world class is because players are expensive,’ Mas told Bloomberg. ‘I pay Messi – worth every penny – but it’s $70 million to $80 million a year. Across everything.”
Messi signed a contract extension with Inter Miami last year that runs through 2028.
The 38-year-old also has separate deals with both Fanatics and Apple that see him compensated for league merchandise sales as well as streaming subscriptions.
Inter Miami is currently worth $1.45 billion according to Sportico, making it the most valuable MLS team.
Messi led the Herons to a MLS Cup title in 2025, also winning his second-straight MLS MVP award.
Inter Miami will open a new stadium next month located in Miami proper: Nu Stadium at Miami Freedom Park.