Throughout Lionel Messi’s illustrious career, it has always been a given that the FC Barcelona star has been well rewarded for his talent.
There has never been a better time to be possibly the greatest player in history at one of the richest clubs in the world. You could assume that Messi was paid in line with the best athletes in the world, like Patrick Mahomes, LeBron James and Mike Trout.
Thanks to a leak from the Spanish newspaper El Mundo, we now know that you would be wrong to assume that. Very wrong.
In reality, Messi’s reported income takes the salary of every known athlete out of the water, even the half-billion-dollar contract that Mahomes received last year and was widely publicized as a record in the sports industry.
Lionel Messi’s contract shakes the world
Here are the contract numbers that Messi signed in 2017, via Italian reporter Fabrizio Romano: € 555,237,619 in four years, with an annual salary of € 138 million including variables, € 115 million of “renewal fee” and € 77 million bonus loyalty.
Five months from the end of the deal, Messi will have already grossed 511 million euros.
El Mundo today, what a bomb. Leo Messi’s contract with Barcelona was revealed on the front page 🔴👇🏻 @elmundoes
– contract of € 555,237,619 [4 years].
– € 138m per fixed season + variables.
– € 115,225,000 as a ‘renewal fee’ just to accept the contract.
– € 77,929,955 loyalty bonus. pic.twitter.com/FK3I34hJta
– Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 31, 2021
These numbers translate to $ 674 million for the entire contract, $ 167 million per year, $ 139 million renewal fee and a $ 94.6 million loyalty bonus in 2020 dollars.
Compare that to Mahomes’ 10-year $ 503 million contract (actually $ 450 million due to some creative accountant) or Mike Trout’s 12-year $ 420 million contract, and you’ll see that the greatest reach of European football brings down American sports wages. Messi’s contract is bigger than the longest reach of the biggest contract ever recorded, and it’s just over four years. The total money over the course of the contract is about $ 320.55 per minute.
In fact, Messi’s $ 167 million annual income is higher than the combined salaries of Trout, LeBron James, Tom Brady and Connor McDavid this year, according to Spotrac’s annual money figures.
Just in his income with Barcelona, it seems likely that Messi is already a billionaire. Even more unbelievable is that Messi actually tried to terminate that contract a few months ago, looking for a club that would pay a $ 828 million termination clause.
Barcelona’s finances are in bad shape
Why are we only finding out about Messi’s salary now?
Well, it may have something to do with Barcelona’s financial situation now, and the fact that Messi seems to have the intention of leaving the club in a few months.
Barcelona’s decline on the global stage coincided with an accumulation of jaw-dropping debts amid the acquisition of players and the financial crisis of COVID-19 that hit the world of sports. According to ESPN, Barcelona’s total debt is currently € 1.173 billion, with a net debt of € 488 million, with players’ expenses accounting for 74 percent of that.
This is not much different from what many other football giants are going through now (Real Madrid’s debt is € 901 million), but it is still impressive. So it makes sense because Messi’s salary came out of nowhere, with Barcelona on the verge of a painful period of austerity.
Messi’s brilliance has generated millions, perhaps billions, for Barcelona over the years. Barcelona signed him for a reason; it has been one of the most valuable sports products on the planet for a decade. Now, the club is better off reminding fans how much it costs.
More from Yahoo Sports: