Lionel Messi has his hands in a variety of lucrative enterprises.
Reportedly, his contract with Inter Miami includes a $60 million annual salary, an option for part-ownership of the club, and revenue-sharing agreements with MLS broadcaster Apple and club sponsor Adidas. However, unquestionably his most absurd and infamous deal was with the latter.
In 2017, Messi signed a contract with Adidas for a lifetime sponsorship. Eleven years after they first convinced him to join with an annual offer of approximately $500,000, Messi signed one of the largest sponsorship agreements in the history of sports.
The Daily Star Sport examines the historic transaction.
Messi’s contract with Adidas is now worth a staggering $25 million per year. There are footballers and athletes whose annual contracts may exceed this staggering amount, but the World Cup champion will receive this sum for the remainder of his life.
This “lifetime” agreement with Adidas was estimated to be worth approximately $1 billiоn. Since then, Messi has been the symbol of Adidas and one of the wealthiest athletes.
In May, only his formidable rival Cristiano Ronaldo ranked higher on Forbes magazine’s list of the wealthiest athletes. However, this table was compiled before his lucrative transfer to Inter Miami.
Messi has demonstrated a strong commitment to Adidas throughout his contract. In his final season, when asked to model Paris Saint-Germain’s new uniform, the 36-year-old went above and beyond to ensure there was no cоnflict of interest.
During his tenure at Barcelona and PSG, the Barcelona legend wore Nike-sponsored uniforms, but, with the exception of a brief period at the beginning of his career, he has always worn Adidas boots. Messi concealed his Adidas boots behind a small black sign that read ‘Jordan – Paris Saint-Germain Spring 22’, as all the other PSG players wore Nike uniforms and a pair of matching football boots.
It was a humorous occasion for football fans, who praised his commitment to the cause. However, it was also a clear indication of how he felt about the German sports supplier.