As World Champion Lionel Messi poised to joine Inter Miami and become the biggest signing in the history of Major League Soccer, the first details are coming out about the World Cup-winning superstar’s pact to join MLS, and the numbers are staggering.
Before anything however, it should be noted that Messi won’t formally sign with Inter Miami until after his PSG contract expires on June 30, and the MLS transfer market doesn’t begin until July 5. Messi is anticipated to join his new squad with some record-breaking numbers when that time comes, though.
$50 million annually earnings
According to Sportico, with Inter Miami, Messi, who is already among the highest-paid athletes of all time, has agreed to a two-and-a-half year deal that may pay him $150 million in total. Included in this are Messi’s pay, signing bonus, and a retirement ownership part in the team.
Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami deal is worth up to $150 MILLION, reports @kbadenhausen.
— Includes salary, signing bonus and team equity before any brand rev share
— 2.5 year deal, option for 2026
— Messi expected to exercise ownership stake in Inter Miamihttps://t.co/iwhvL39pNV— Mark J. Burns (@markjburns88) June 19, 2023
However, that’s not all the money Messi could make from his MLS adventure. The details are reportedly still being worked out between Messi’s camp and Apple, Adidas, and Fanatics, with Messi poised to receive a slice of revenue from each company as a condition for playing in North America.
This is absolutely ridiculous. Messi is 35 while the other two are 22 and 24 ???? pic.twitter.com/IwboVVLeVs
— R (@Lionel30i) June 21, 2023
When will Messi play his first game?
Lionel Messi is expected to make his Major League Soccer debut with Inter Miami at a July 21 home game, the team confirmed Tuesday.
Owner Jorge Mas told selected outlets on Monday that his club and Messi have agreed to terms and are finalizing paperwork and a visa.
The team also confirmed Tuesday that it is increasing capacity at DRV PNK Stadium by 3,000 to 3,200 seats in the next four weeks by filling in the corners, raising capacity to about 22,000.
“I think there will always be a before and after Messi when we talk about the sport in the United States,” Mas told the Miami Herald. “I have a very, very strong held belief that we can create in North America and the United States if not the greatest league, one of the top two leagues in the world. I cannot over emphasize the magnitude of this announcement.”
