Fresh off his 2022 FIFA World Cup victory with Argentina, Lionel Messi has reportedly agreed with French side Paris Saint-Germain to extend his stay in the French capital.
The 35-year-old added a World Cup title to his trophy case in December, cementing his status as the greatest player of all-time.
Now, he will look to bring PSG to Champions League glory, something he has previously tasted but the club has not.
It appears that stay will now be extended, as Fabrizio Romano reported on December 21, 2022 that Messi had agreed to a contract extension with PSG, turning down other offers from clubs around the world, including Inter Miami of MLS. Since the turn of the year he’s been linked with a mega-money move to Saudi Arabia but he seems intent on staying with PSG.
MORE: Messi is coming after Ronaldo’s biggest records if he stays at PSG
🚨🇦🇷 Paris Saint-Germain reached a verbal agreement with Lionel Messi to extend the contract. It’s a verbal pact to continue together. #PSG
No decision yet on leght of contract & salary, it will be decided in a new meeting soon.
Al Khelaifi and Campos, working on it. pic.twitter.com/upho1SCc7P
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 21, 2022
Lionel Messi contract, salary details at PSG
Reports stated at the time of Messi’s signing at PSG in the summer of 2021 that he had agreed to a two-year contract with PSG that boasted a $41 million annual net salary, including bonuses. The contract also includes an option for a third year.
In addition, a report by The Athletic stated his contract included a near $30-million signing bonus, while Forbes reported that the player will also get a cut of player image rights, including jersey sales, which could potentially bump his annual salary up to the $75 million range.
That’s a big contract for any player, let alone a forward who has already turned 34. PSG will feel that money will be well-spent if Messi can take the club to the promised land: a first-ever UEFA Champions League trophy.
Lionel Messi joins PSG… HERE WE GO! Total agreement completed on a two-years contract. Option to extend until June 2024. Salary around €35m net per season add ons included. 🇦🇷🇫🇷 #Messi
Messi has definitely accepted PSG contract proposal and will be in Paris in the next hours. pic.twitter.com/DiM5jNzxTA
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 10, 2021
Lionel #Messi total agreement with PSG: two-years contract. Option to extend until June 2024. Salary around €35m net per season. He will be in Paris in the next hours. His flight in El Prat is prepared. Medical review will be done today. He will wear the “30” t-shirt.
— Veronica Brunati 💚 (@verobrunati) August 10, 2021
In late December, following the 2022 FIFA World Cup, reports emerged that Messi had agreed to a contract extension with PSG. At the current time, there are no additional details regarding length or value of his reported extension. It is simply a verbal agreement to negotiate an extension beyond the current limits of his contract, although as of January 2023, PSG have still not announced anything officially.
Messi won the Champions League trophy four times in a storied career with FC Barcelona, the last one coming back in 2015. Meanwhile, PSG has been knocking on the door for the last several years with a trip to the final in 2020 (loss vs. Bayern Munich) and advancement to the tournament semis last year (eliminated vs. Manchester City).
Barcelona could not afford to keep the greatest player in its club’s history, and definitely not on those same terms. With heavy debts saddling the Spanish club, and the need to cut player salaries, Barcelona announced on August 5 that it had ended negotiations with Messi, who had become a free agent when his deal with Barcelona expired on June 30.
Barcelona could not keep Messi even after the Argentine star had agreed to a 50 percent wage cut in order to remain with the only club he’s ever known as a pro. Barcelona president Joan Laporta later revealed that adding Messi’s contract would have meant that player salaries would have represented 110 percent of club revenues, when league rules required that figure to be at 70 percent of revenues.
MORE: Everything to know about Lionel Messi, including trophies won, salary, and family
What was Messi’s salary at Barcelona?
While in Spain, Lionel Messi had the most lucrative contract in sports history at the time based on a report by Spanish daily El Mundo, which published details of Messi’s deal with Barcelona after the 30-page contract was leaked to the outlet in January 2021.
Signed in 2017, the deal had a value of over $650 million over its four-year duration if various conditions were met. According to the report, it provided Messi a $161 million annual base salary, a $135 million signing bonus and a $91 million-plus loyalty payment.
Given those terms and astronomical fees paid for other players, it’s no wonder that FC Barcelona is saddled by debts projected to hover in the $1 billion range. That Barcelona contract expired on June 30, 2021, making Messi a free agent and setting up the move to free-spending Paris Saint-Germain.
📰 Portada de EL MUNDO del domingo 31 de enero. Ya disponible en Orbyt y en nuestra edición digital con la mejor información #ContratoMessi pic.twitter.com/7eSiodkSCb
— EL MUNDO (@elmundoes) January 30, 2021
How much does Cristiano Ronaldo make?
Cristiano Ronaldo is currently playing for Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr. While on duty at the 2022 World Cup with Portugal, Ronaldo saw his Manchester United contract voided by mutual agreement, allowing him to sign with another club.
According to multiple reports, Ronaldo is being paid around $213 million (£173m) a year by Al Nassr.
Notably, only a fraction of this relates to him actually playing football with his image rights and commercial deals reportedly funding more than half of his total earnings while in Saudi Arabia.
Prior to joining Man United, the Portuguese superstar was acquired by Juventus for a $123 million transfer fee from Spanish giants Real Madrid in the summer of 2018. He then signed a four-year deal with the Italian club, which compensates him with an approximate $35 million annual net salary at the Italian club. He made the switch to Man United in the summer of 2021.
