Inter Miami owner states Lionel Messi’s salary ranges from $70 million to $80 million annually.
Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas disclosed that captain Lionel Messi receives an annual salary ranging from $70 million to $80 million, which includes the player’s ownership stakes, highlighting the necessity for the team to optimize sponsorship agreements and other revenue sources.
This week, Miami finalized a partnership with Brazilian financial services firm Nu, which will hold the naming rights for the club’s new stadium located near Miami International Airport.
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Nu Stadium, a 26,700-seat venue currently under construction, is set to host its inaugural match on April 4.
“The reason I need to secure world-class sponsors is that players come at a high cost,” Mas stated in an interview with Bloomberg published on Friday. “I compensate Messi—worth every cent—but it amounts to $70 million to $80 million annually. This encompasses everything.”
Messi is presently the highest-paid player in Major League Soccer, with a base salary of $12 million and guaranteed compensation totaling $20,446,667, as per the salary guide released by the MLS Players’ Association.
According to ESPN, Messi also gains from additional revenue streams, including his endorsement deal with Adidas and a revenue-sharing agreement with the league’s broadcasting partner, Apple.
After joining the club in the summer of 2023, Messi extended his contract with Inter Miami last October, ensuring his presence in South Florida until the conclusion of the 2028 season.
In a recent discussion with ESPN, Xavier Asensi, Inter Miami’s president of business operations, shared that efforts to leverage the potential arrival of the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner commenced well before Messi expressed his desire to join the team.
“I don’t believe in luck; I think luck is defined as when preparation meets opportunity,” Asensi remarked to ESPN.
“Events occur, or you can create them, but you must be ready when they do. We see that clearly here. Lionel’s arrival is not coincidental; it is the result of strategic planning and effort. It’s the American principle of ‘aim for the best, be prepared for the worst.’
“You strive for the highest standards, and once you achieve that, you work to enhance the impact it can create both before, during, and after.”
“A concrete example is when we secured the primary jersey sponsorship deal in 2021. I included a clause stating that if the club signed a player with at least five Ballon d’Or awards, the sponsorship fee would double.”
“That’s in the contract. This is a contract from 2021. Thus, it serves as evidence. Even back in 2021, there were agreements with clauses that mentally prepared the club and its structure for Lionel’s potential arrival.”
Inter Miami’s substantial investment in Messi through a record-setting contract is yielding dividends. The club is now recognized as the most valuable MLS team, valued at $1.45 billion, according to Sportico.
The publication also noted that Inter Miami’s valuation increased by 22% over the past year.
“Why have we experienced growth? Because we have won,” Asensi stated.
Asensi emphasized that Messi’s influence on the team’s financial situation is “night and day, black and white,” asserting that without his on-field contributions, the club would be in a different circumstance.
“Leo transforms everything positively from one perspective,” he explained. “Since Lionel’s arrival, we reached the US Open Cup final, secured the Leagues Cup, won the Supporters’ Shield with a record points total, qualified for the Champions League, claimed the MLS Cup, reached another Leagues Cup final, advanced to the Champions League semifinals, and qualified for the Club World Cup.
“It is quite clear and evident that Lionel’s presence on the field, along with everything associated with him, has enabled the club to perform at a higher level, and as I mentioned earlier, as a football club, we rely on what transpires on the pitch.”
