Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas has revealed that captain Lionel Messi earns between $70 million and $80 million per year when all elements of his deal are included.
Mas explained that the scale of Messi’s contract makes it essential for the club to maximise sponsorship opportunities and commercial partnerships.
“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 remains the highest-paid player in Major League Soccer. According to the MLS Players Association salary guide, his base salary stands at $12 million with guaranteed compensation of $20,446,667.
His total earnings are significantly boosted by additional revenue streams, including an endorsement agreement with Adidas and a revenue-sharing partnership with MLS broadcast partner Apple.
The Argentine forward joined Inter Miami in the summer of 2023 and signed a contract extension in October that will keep him at the club until the end of the 2028 season.
Commercial growth around Messi
The club continues to expand its commercial operations alongside Messi’s presence. Earlier this week Inter Miami announced a naming-rights agreement with Brazilian financial services company Nu Holdings for its new stadium.
The venue, called Nu Stadium, is a 26,700-seat facility currently under construction near Miami International Airport and is scheduled to host its first match on April 4.
Xavier Asensi, the club’s president of business operations, said that preparations for the possibility of signing Messi began years before the deal was completed.
“I don’t believe in luck. I think the definition of luck is when preparation meets opportunity,” Asensi said.
“Leo changes everything for the better,” he said. “Since Lionel’s arrival, we reached the US Open Cup final, won the Leagues Cup, won the Supporters’ Shield with a record number of points, qualified for the Champions League, won the MLS Cup and reached another Leagues Cup final.
“I think it’s quite obvious and evident that Lionel’s presence on the pitch, along with everything that has surrounded him, has allowed the club to perform better. As a football club, we depend on what happens on the pitch.”
