In football, when some names are mentioned, every other thing is put on hold. Lionel Messi’s name is one of such names. This is how great he is. In fact, he is arguably the greatest player to ever grace the game.
Lionel Messi net worth is no surprising to many to be amongst the highest if not the highest. He is so phenomenal that talking about him makes life easy for anyone who has seen him play.
With the joy he brings to the faces of fans of both his club and opponent, he can’t be hated and deserves so much more than he earn. According to many rankings, Messi net worth is rated to be around $400 million.
This is after he has signed a new deal at Barcelona that will guaranty him a $50 a year salary. This is just on salary and no other endorsement deal is calculated yet. Some extra bonuses like tournaments winning bonuses have not been added likewise deals that come in as the club progresses in European competition.
The 6 time Ballon d’Or winner is a legend in the game that deserves every penny he’s being paid. This is why the club keep renewing his contract despite being 31.
Messi career is one that motivates any child to want to succeed in life. Starting his professional career at Barcelona in 2000 at age 13, he has always believed he was going to become the greatest. In an early interview when he was still a small boy, he said he knew he can win the Ballon d’Or if he eat well and train well.
This was because he knew he had the talent and this was only a matter of time if injury does not cut short his career. Growing through the La Masia academy at Barcelona was a blessing for him because he had the best of support and technical coaches to train him so growing afterwards was down to his commitment as the talent was never in doubt.
Playing alongside the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Gerard Pique in the academy had becoming a first team player was a system that was set in motion since 2000. When he was seen by the world in the 2005 under 20 world cup in Netherlands, everyone knew he was the next big thing in football.
The way he mesmerizes opponent with his tricky legs was something else. His trademark goals right from the academy will also be replicated all through his career.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIdkui8ZFIc&ab_channel=SH10Comps
Messi became the player we all love now mainly during Pep Guardiola’s era as the manager of the club from 2009 to 2012. After his injury against Chelsea in the 2006 Champions league match that sidelined him from the finals in Paris, Messi come back when Guardiola took over the club was on another level. This coincided with when he was starting to hit his peak.
At 21 when Guardiola took over, that was the age many footballer take the center stage and become the global star that they have shown glimpses of in their teenage years till 20.
Messi had shown beyond glimpses in his teenage years and has already been winning award as far back as when he was 19. Sending defenders back to their home with career humiliating dribbles.
This was why he started getting good deals from across the world from top brands. This is why Messi net worth will continue to increase. Despite not being the public figure guy during the early days of his career, he is now an all-round player.
The treble the club won in 2009 was majorly on the trio of Messi, Xavi and Iniesta with Messi being the most important player in the trio.
They also repeated the same feat two years later and that was when everyone accepted that this Barcelona era with Messi leading the line can do anything in the game of football. Within the four years that Guardiola was the manager of Barcelona, Messi was on another level of football.
He was beyond reach by anyone. He was also a major force for his country. The problem was that he never have enough players in Argentina national team living up to their expectation and all was resting on him to deliver for the country which has not happen.
Many would have thought that it was Guardiola that brought out the best in Messi. This was proven to be wrong after Pep left the club. Messi never dropped as his performance continue to improve same has his goals for club and country.
He lead the team to another treble in 2014 and this was when it was obvious that he was more than what many thought he was under Guardiola.
Luis Enrique was the manager and the treble was also achieved at the club, all thanks to Messi. With the constant improve in result for Barcelona on the pitch, his contract continued to get renewed every two years with a salary increment coming with it. As the increment is paid, Messi net worth continue to be on the rise.
Messi net worth got great boost when he first signed for Adidas. The deal with Adidas and many more made him as much as his yearly salary at Barcelona, this is according to Forbes Magazine.
Other top brands that he has endorsements deals with include Gatorade that he appears in several of their commercials. He has also been seen in Pepsi advert showing off his football skills.
Messi major deal is the one he signed with Adidas right from the start of his career and has remained with Adidas just as Ronaldo is with Nike. The deal with Nike has allowed us see several Adidas cleats on him as he help showcase most of their cleats to the world at the biggest stages.
This has brought massive revenue for the American company. He is their biggest athlete and will do everything possible to make him happy. Same way Messi net worth will continue to grow bigger with deals from companies like Adidas.