With the recent acquisition of a sizable, $10.75 million beachfront villa in Fort Lauderdale, soccer star Lionel Messi has made it obvious that he’s not going anywhere, the real estate brokers who sold him the property said on Monday.
Messi now has a 10,500-square-foot mansion with 8 bedrooms, 9.5 bathrooms, a three-car garage, and a pool. He shares this estate with his three sons from a previous relationship with Argentine social media personality and model Antonela Roccuzzo.
Messi was represented by Samuel and Donna Simpkin at Compass Florida in the purchase of the house, which is situated in a cul-de-sac and has 170 feet of waterfront in the neighborhood of Bay Colony. Author and social media influencer Patrick Bet-David is said to have set a local record in 2021 by purchasing a $20.4 million mansion there.
The ultra-modern home has two boat docks, a spa, a fitness center, and a 1,600-square-foot main bedroom. It is situated on less than half an acre.
The mansion’s annual property taxes are projected to cost $83,400.
A record-breaking 2.5-year contract with Inter Miami was signed by Messi earlier this year, and it is estimated to be “worth up to $150 million total” when taking into account his salary, signing bonus, team equity, and alleged revenue-sharing deals with Apple and Adidas. In terms of earnings between May 2022 and May 2023, he is expected to earn an estimated $130 million, placing him second on Forbes’ list of the highest-paid athletes this year. He also spent an estimated $7.3 million for the entire ninth floor at Regalia, an opulent condominium building in the city of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida. The new residence is only the most recent addition to his outstanding real estate portfolio. According to Architectural Digest, he is claimed to have owned—and may still own—a $7 million villa close to Barcelona, a $5 million condo in Miami, and a large residence with a 15-car garage, theater, and gym in his hometown of Rosario, Argentina.
Not just Messi but other famous people have recently established themselves in South Florida. The ex-wife of Tom Brady and supermodel Gisele Bündchen paid slightly over $9 million for a home in Southwest Ranches, Florida, according to the Wall Street Journal. A full-sized soccer field, two equestrian rings, a stock pond for fishing, and a 5,200-square-foot mansion are all on her 7.5-acre property. Horses, poultry, and other farm animals would be part of the model, according to Chad Bishop of ONE Sotheby’s International Realty, who spoke to the WSJ. About 25 miles separate Southwest Ranches from Messi’s new neighborhood.