Lionel Messi Is The World's Highest Paid Athlete: What Is His Net Worth?

Lionel Messi’s net worth is around $400 million. He is considered the greatest footballer not only in his era but possibly the greatest ever to play the game.

Cristiano Ronaldo fans can say a thing or two, but the numbers don’t lie. Also, in the money ranking game, Messi reigns supreme. He ranked first in Forbes’s World’s Highest Paid Athletes in 2019. He received $92 million in earnings during that year and another $35 million from endorsement deals.

Due to his less flamboyant personality, brands are attracted to him. He rarely makes the headlines off the football field. Messi is a dedicated family man who does his serious business with the ball on his foot. Among the brands he collaborated with are Adidas, Gatorade, Huawei, MasterCard, Pepsi, Gillette and Turkish Airlines.

Messi has massive social media following. His Instagram has 145 million followers while his Facebook account has over 92 million likes, which makes him an ideal brand ambassador. He is the third most popular male personality on Instagram, behind Dwayne Johnson and rival Cristiano Ronaldo. Aside from endorsements and playing football, the 31-year-old talisman keeps himself busy with his own foundation, the Leo Messi Foundation.

The Argentine magician played all his career in Barcelona. He has found the back of the net 620 times as of 2019 and with him leading the charge, the footballer won all the major club trophies that can be won, such as Champions League, La Liga and Copa Del Rey.

Critics say Barcelona’s leading all-time goalscorer only plays well for his club but always comes short when it comes to representing his country, Argentina. He may have had a rough journey with the national team, prompting him to think of retirement options back then, but no one can say he is not giving his 100 percent on the pitch.

Messi is married to his childhood sweetheart Antonella Roccuzzo. The couple has three children together: Thiago, Ciro and Mateo. He often donates to charities that help children and healthcare. Messi has been an ambassador for UNICEF since 2004.

Due to the ongoing pandemic crisis, Messi decided to donate €1 million to the Hospital Clinic in Barcelona and a medical center in Rosario, Argentina. Spain is among those badly hit by Coronavirus, with over 3,000 deaths and counting, per CBS Sports.

Athletes around the world, not just football players, have started donating to help hospitals and medical frontliners fight COVID-19. All sporting events have been canceled and there is no assurance when they will all resume.