How Argentine footballer Lionel Messi became a billionaire

The story of how Argentine football icon Lionel Messi became a billionaire centers on his enduring global status and the monetization of a career that reached major financial milestones. Although Messi has not won a second World Cup, he is described as a figure destined to rank alongside Pelé, Maradona and Ronaldo. The article traces how Argentine fan culture amplified his image during this year’s World Cup through chants such as “Por Malvinas, por el Diego, por la última de Leo,” tying in the Falklands and Diego Maradona. It also notes early Barcelona ties beginning when Messi was 13, following a contract arranged by his father. Now 39 and playing for Inter Miami after 20 years at Barcelona, Messi’s estimated net worth is $1.1 billion, with a four-year Barcelona contract reportedly worth $675 million. Forbes attributes much of the total to cash accumulation and appreciation.