Lionel Messi became one of the richest footballers in the world not just by banging goals for Barcelona, but also through some lucrative endorsement deals. Read on to know about 12 such deals that made the Argentinian loaded!
If you ask someone who their favorite footballer is, there is a slim chance it will be someone other than MESSI. Lionel Andrés Messi has managed to amass a huge fortune thanks to his massive fan following and popularity. He has joined the billionaire club with a combined earning of $126 million per year. Here are a few of the lucrative deals that earn him a handsome fortune apart from his contract with Barcelona, which by the way, is $92 million per year sans bonuses.
12. Adidas
Adidas was quick to approach this rising star back in 2007, and now the footballer has signed a lifetime contract with the German sports brand that is reportedly bringing in a whopping £9 million each year. He is the international face of the brand, also releasing a sub-brand of his own- Adidas Messi.
11. Ooredoo
Messi is also an ambassador of this telecommunication company which is actually a partnership of his Leo Messi Foundation with Ooredoo. He has been associated with this telecom giant since 2013 and has participated in various campaigns since.
10. Lays
Lays has been known to rope in many celebrities like Trace Ellis Ross, Ranbir Kapoor, etc., for their campaigns, and Messi, with his humungous stardom, has been a regular, starring in many global integrated markets endorsements. The PepsiCo. brand has often put his pictures on the packs during the football season to bank on his popularity, paying him rather fairly for it.
9. Dolce & Gabbana
Messi might be a simple man, but his public appearances are a sight to behold. His commercial agreement with the exquisite Dolce & Gabbana is not limited to advertisements, though. The player is good friends with Domenico (Dolce) and is always seen donning a D& B suit in any red-carpet event or party he attends, something he apparently pockets millions for. Although there is not a fixed tenure for the contract, both parties insist that it will go on till death do them part.
8. Budweiser
This star boy doesn’t only feature on chips packets but also has a limited-edition beer bottle collaboration to his name. Budweiser was also hasty to jump on the Messi trend that, needless to say, is here to stay. They announced their long-term partnership with the forward captain and even celebrated his goal record with their beer.
7. Gatorade
This energy drink brand also knew the star power Lionel held across the world and signed this Barcelona player to expand their reach by starring him in their endorsement campaigns frequently. They have also been sponsoring him on the field for quite some time now.
6. Pepsi
Pepsi was one of the first brands to approach Messi, and to date, he has collaborated with them for many commercials for which they pay him handsomely. The commercial collaborations have always garnered a great response from the masses, and needless to say, he is a brand favorite.
5. Air Europa
Even airline corporates have partnered with the soccer star to boost their brand name and reach. Air Europa has launched quite a few endorsements with Messi since their first one in 2007 and the collaboration has only strengthened over time.
4. Huawei
This smartphone giant did not waste any time signing the player after the termination of his contract with Samsung, a potential competitor of the company. They have signed a long-term deal, the specifics of which have yet to be disclosed. But it is a no-brainer that the brand would have been more than happy to extend a lucrative deal to Messi.
3. Jacob & Co
This highly sophisticated watch brand roped in Lionel Messi as their brand ambassador in January 2019, launching the highly anticipated special edition Jacob and Co Epic X Crono ‘Messi Edition’ watches with just 80 pieces worldwide.
2. Orcam
Messi bagged a three-year ambassadorship agreement with OrCam Technologies, an Israeli-based eyecare brand. This agreement also made him a part of the OrCam Global awareness for the blind and visually impaired initiative. So the partnership did benefit not only the footballer’s pockets but also his karma, as the player helped out various blind people with eye treatments.
1. Mengniu
Messi’s endorsement deals also took him to the faraway land of China, where the Barcelona star signed an agreement with Mengniu. It is a Chinese dairy brand that also got Messi involved in the brand’s “Born for Greatness” program.
