Lionel Messi Net Worth 2026: $1.1 Billion (Forbes)

October 29, 2026

Daniel Reed

Lionel Messi net worth 2026: Forbes estimates the Inter Miami captain’s fortune at $1.1 billion as of October 2026, making him only the second footballer to become a billionaire while still playing. The figure rests on career earnings of around $1.8 billion before taxes and agents’ fees, plus more than $600 million from endorsements, memorabilia and business ventures.

Last updated: October 2026

Who is Lionel Messi?

Lionel Messi is an Argentine forward born on 24 June 1987 in Rosario, an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner who won the 2022 World Cup with Argentina, scored 474 league goals for Barcelona, and now captains Inter Miami, where he is chasing a second straight MLS Cup. His full career story is told in Lionel Messi’s biography.

How Lionel Messi’s $1.1 billion fortune breaks down

Forbes’ October 2026 assessment, reported by Sports Illustrated and Outlook India, describes a fortune built “primarily from cash accumulation and appreciation throughout his career”, plus team equity included in his Inter Miami contract. The main components are:

Football wages: the foundation of the fortune. His Barcelona years, including a hugely lucrative 2017 contract, and his Paris Saint-Germain spell (2021–2023) account for the bulk of the roughly $1.8 billion in career earnings Forbes cites.
Inter Miami package: in 2026 Messi is Major League Soccer’s highest earner, with guaranteed compensation of $28.3 million. Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas told Bloomberg in March 2026 that, through other mechanisms including ownership shares in the club, Messi’s total annual package reaches up to $80 million.
Adidas lifetime deal: his longest-running endorsement, reported at around $25 million per year. He has also represented Pepsi, Gatorade, Mastercard and Budweiser, among other global brands.
Business holdings: MiM Hotels, the listed property firm Edificio Rostower Socimi, property in Spain and the United States, and an option to acquire an equity stake in Inter Miami after retirement.
Endorsements and memorabilia: more than $600 million across his career, according to Forbes’ assessment, from sponsorships, licensed products and memorabilia.

Career earnings timeline

2004–2021, Barcelona: 17 seasons, 474 league goals, ten La Liga titles and four Champions League titles; wages rose with each renewal, culminating in the blockbuster 2017 deal.
2020: Messi became only the second footballer to pass $1 billion in career earnings, according to Forbes.
2021–2023, Paris Saint-Germain: two seasons in France after leaving Barcelona, adding further high wages to the total.
2023–present, Inter Miami: a different commercial model — a lower headline salary than the Saudi offers he turned down, but revenue-sharing opportunities and a path to club equity. Forbes notes he would have become a billionaire faster had he followed Cristiano Ronaldo to Saudi Arabia in 2023.
October 2026: Forbes places Messi on its World’s Billionaires list at $1.1 billion — football’s second active-player billionaire, after Ronaldo, whose Forbes figure stands at $1.2 billion.

Methodology: how this estimate was reached

This article headlines Forbes’ October 2026 figure of $1.1 billion because Forbes is the most reputable published source available, and its assessment was independently reported by Sports Illustrated and Outlook India in the same month. A sourced comparison table published on 27 October 2026 lists the same Forbes figure. A sports-betting roundup converting that figure at the early-October 2026 exchange rate gives A$1.57 billion — about US$1.1 billion — which corroborates rather than contradicts it. Some secondary roundups cite a lower $850 million figure “per Forbes”; that number is inconsistent with Forbes’ own October 2026 assessment as reported firsthand, so it is not used here. No Bloomberg net-worth total for Messi was located, and no audited personal balance sheet exists — as with all such estimates, $1.1 billion is Forbes’ modelled valuation of his accumulated wealth, not a bank balance. Figures marked “reported” above come from single-outlet reporting rather than from Forbes itself.

Frequently asked questions

What is Lionel Messi’s net worth?

Lionel Messi’s net worth is estimated at $1.1 billion as of October 2026, according to Forbes, making him football’s second billionaire player after Cristiano Ronaldo.

How did Lionel Messi make his money?

Messi made his money primarily from football wages across Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami, plus more than $600 million from endorsements, memorabilia and business ventures including his lifetime Adidas deal, MiM Hotels and a listed property firm.

How much does Lionel Messi earn at Inter Miami?

Messi’s guaranteed MLS compensation in 2026 is $28.3 million, the league’s highest. Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas told Bloomberg the total annual package reaches up to $80 million through other mechanisms including ownership shares in the club.

Is Lionel Messi a billionaire?

Yes. Forbes placed Messi on its World’s Billionaires list in 2026 with a net worth of $1.1 billion, and he and Cristiano Ronaldo are the first active players across team sports to become billionaires.