How Lionel Messi became a billionaire: Sponsors, investments and owning 3 lavish hotels

Earlier this week, it was reported that six-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi became only the second footballer to cross the $1billion mark through career earnings. Although arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo beat Messi to the feat earlier this year, the 33-year-old topped the charts for the highest-earning footballer in 2020. Here's a look at how Lionel Messi became a billionaire through his lucrative sponsorship deals, football salary and by investing in real estate. 

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Lionel Messi career earnings: Progressive rise in salary at Barcelona 

Although Lionel Messi began his Barcelona senior career in 2004, it didn't take long for the club to realise that the young Argentine was head and shoulders above the rest of the players emerging through La Masia. In 2007, at just 20 years of age, Messi signed a contract extension with the Spanish giants which saw him earn around $116,000 (€98,000) per week. At such a tender age, Messi was already one of the highest-paid players at the club. 

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Ever since then, Lionel Messi has gone on to make millions each year and featured regularly in Forbes' annual list of the top 10 highest-paid footballers. In 2015, Messi's salary totalled $51.8m (€44m) but has almost doubled over the past five years. Messi's fixed salary at Barcelona is around $92m (€78m) but with bonuses and winning trophies, that figure only rises. Forbes claimed that Lionel Messi is set to earn a whopping $126 million (€106m) this year.

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Lionel Messi endorsements and sponsorship deals

Along with Lionel Messi's salary at Barcelona, the 10-time LaLiga winner's endorsements and sponsorship deals have played a major role in helping him become a billionaire. Reports from Forbes suggest that Messi makes around $34m (€28m) through endorsements.and one of his biggest deals came through signing a partnership deal with sportswear brand, Adidas. Messi reportedly signed a lifetime deal with Adidas in 2017, which rakes in over $12m (€10m) each year. Messi has also signed deals with Pepsi, Gatorade, Huawei, Mastercard, and a number of other famous brands earning him plenty in revenue over the years. 

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Lionel Messi net worth: Messi's luxurious hotel near Barcelona

In order to build and grow his net worth, Lionel Messi ventured into purchasing real estate. It is reported that Lionel Messi owns a four-star hotel in a beach town near Barcelona and splashed a reported $33m (€28m) on the project in 2017. The luxurious hotel reportedly has a panoramic terrace overlooking the sea as well as incredible views since it's situated close to the beach with prices for the 77-room hotel going for around $294 (€250) to $353 (€300) per night. Messi also owns hotels in Ibiza and Majorca. Reports from Goal claim that Lionel Messi's net worth is a staggering $400 million (€336m). 

Disclaimer: The above Lionel Messi net worth, endorsements and career earnings figures have been sourced from various websites and media reports. This website does not guarantee 100% accuracy of the Messi net worth figures.

Image Credits - Leo Messi Instagram