Messi Officially Joins the Billionaire Club After Inter Miami Move

Lionel Messi has officially joined the billionaire ranks after his fortune rose above $1 billion following his move to Inter Miami in the United States. The milestone underscores the scale of his earnings from both football and long-running commercial deals. Messi began his career in the youth system of Newell's Old Boys in Argentina before rising to Barcelona's first team in 2004. His wealth has been built largely through sponsorship and advertising contracts signed over many years. In the summer of 2023, Messi received a major offer from Saudi Arabia but chose to join Major League Soccer despite lower financial benefits. The decision sent him to Inter Miami rather than the Saudi league. Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo had already become a billionaire before Messi. The two players remain the most commercially valuable figures of their generation.