Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been intertwined throughout their careers. The soccer superstars debuted 14 months apart and have reached the highest peaks in the sport. Collectively, they have won 13 Ballon d’Or awards, given to the best player of the year, and 10 Golden Boot awards, given to the player with the most points the previous season.
The two also ended up at rival clubs for a good portion of their careers, with Messi at FC Barcelona for 17 years and Ronaldo playing nine seasons at Real Madrid. There are entire websites dedicated to the rivalry, including when Messi went on to play in the United States with Inter Miami and Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr FC, one of the most successful Saudi teams.
Naturally, fans are also curious to know how much money the two superstars make. And Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas just gave us an idea of Messi’s earnings.
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Mas told Bloomberg that media rights represent only 2% of the club’s income. That’s a much smaller percentage than most other major sports franchises receive, so Mas has to find other sponsorships and commercial opportunities to generate money for the club.
“The reason I need to have sponsors and for them to be world-class is because the players are expensive,” Mas. “I pay Messi (it’s worth every penny) but it’s between 70 and 80 million dollars a year. Through it all.“
But he did not clarify how that money is broken down, but according to the salary guide of the Major League Soccer Players Association, Messi earns a guaranteed compensation of $20,446,667 annually. He also has a stake in Inter Miami, a major sponsorship deal with Adidas and a revenue-sharing deal with Apple, which streams MLS games.
Messi’s arrival in Miami has also benefited the club. Inter Miami’s valuation of $1.45 billion is the highest in MLS.
His latest contract, which he signed last year, runs until the end of the 2028 season. However, despite that healthy salary, Messi only earns around a third of what Ronaldo earns.
The Portuguese star announced in 2023 that he would join Al-Nassr FC to play in the Saudi Pro League. He extended his contract last summer, so it now runs until 2027. That new deal pays Ronaldo a salary of 200 million euros, which is equivalent to about $230 million a year. That breaks down to over $19.1 million a month.
Although Messi and Ronaldo have seen their careers take different directions, they both continue to play well on the field. And the excitement they bring to their clubs is worth the investment, no matter how expensive it may be.