Lionel Messi Net Worth: Ex-Barcelona Star Not The Highest-Paid Athlete Anymore

Lionel Messi is no longer the world's highest-paid athlete despite earning tens of millions from his soccer salary and endorsements. Here's how much he has made as the star forward of FC Barcelona, the club he's played for his entire professional career.

While Messi earned a staggering $130 million in the past 12 months, he did not top Forbes' list of the highest-paid athletes in the world for 2021. He was beaten by mixed martial arts' biggest star, Conor McGregor, who is estimated to have made $180 million, according to the outlet.

The 34-year-old soccer legend previously topped Forbes' list of the world's highest-earning sports stars for the first time in 2019. With total earnings of $127 million that year, Messi surpassed boxing icon Floyd Mayweather, who has held the top spot on the list four times.

Messi was unseated by tennis superstar Roger Federer for Forbes' 2020 list and ranked No. 3, below second-placer and fellow soccer legend Cristiano Ronaldo. However, a few months later, Messi beat Ronaldo to take the top spot on the magazine's 2020 ranking of the highest-paid soccer players in the world with $126 million in earnings.

A leak of Messi's FC Barcelona contract in January revealed that the club captain made up to $165 million annually in salary and incentives, Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported. This figure was much higher than previously thought and "unmatched" in team sports, Forbes noted.

In addition to the $97 million he received in salary and winnings, Messi earned $33 million from his endorsement deals in the past year, according to Forbes.

He has partnerships with a long list of brands and companies, including Anheuser Busch InBev, Gatorade, Hard Rock Cafe, Jacob & Co, Ooredoo and Pepsi. Messi also has a lifelong deal with Adidas that he signed in 2017.

On top of these, his Instagram account boasts 242 million followers. Messi uses the platform to post about his charity work as well as to promote his lifestyle brand, The Messi Store. He launched his clothing line and opened his first retail outlet in Barcelona, Spain, in 2019.

Due to these, Messi, who has claimed FIFA's player of the year award and the European Golden Shoe for top scorer on the continent a record six times, is estimated to be worth $600 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Since the start of his soccer career, Messi has also been active in charity work. He founded the Leo Messi Foundation, which aims to help provide better education and healthcare opportunities for underprivileged children, and has participated in numerous fundraising activities.

The soccer star also donated $1 million last year toward the fight against COVID-19.

It was reported this week that Messi is no longer re-signing with Barcelona after he and the club weren’t able to solidify a new contract, according to an official statement on the club's website. The statement cited “financial and structural obstacles” as the reasons why a deal was not signed.

“Despite having reached an agreement between Barça and Leo Messi and with the clear intention of both parties to sign a new contract today, it will not be possible to formalize due to economic and structural obstacles (Spanish LaLiga regulations),” read the statement shared on Twitter by soccer journalist Fabrizio Romano.

“As a result of this situation, Messi shall not be staying on at FC Barcelona. Both parties deeply regret that the wishes of the player and the club will ultimately not be fulfilled,” the announcement continued. “FC Barcelona wholeheartedly expresses its gratitude to the player for his contribution to the aggrandizement of the club and wishes him all the very best for the future in his personal and professional life.”