The arrival of Lionel Messi to Inter Miami in 2023 completely transformed the Major League Soccer franchise, both in sports and in economic terms. Faced with this success, the club's owner, Jorge Más, revealed how much the institution invests to support the captain of the Argentine National Team
.
“I pay Messi between 70 and 80 million dollars a year, if you add everything up,” said the businessman, who also stated that “it's worth every penny”.
The figure far exceeds the 12 million dollars officially recorded in the salary records of the MLS, which are also by regulation the limit that a player can receive. This difference is explained by different agreements included in the soccer player's contract, including benefits linked to the commercial growth of the franchise and its valuation in the
market. Jorge Más revealed Messi's salary at Inter Miami
Since his arrival in Florida, Messi changed the history of the club founded in 2018. In less than three years, Inter Miami went from having no titles to winning three, in addition to multiplying its market value, which currently exceeds 1.3 billion dollars
.
Más, who shares ownership of the team with his brother José Más and former soccer player David Beckham, explained that the Argentinian's presence forces the club to seek first-level sponsors to sustain its economic structure. “The reason I need sponsors, and world-class sponsors, is because players are expensive,” he said.
The businessman also reflected on the impact that the arrival of the world champion had on the growth of soccer in the United States. “I have revolutionized major league football. Some criticize it and others praise it. I only manage the ship because I think we still need to change some things,”
he said. Jorge Más wants Inter Miami to continue growing despite Messi's future absence
Although Messi renewed his relationship with Inter Miami until December 2028, the club is already thinking about the future of the franchise beyond the presence of Rosario. “We don't have to fear change, it's necessary to thrive and succeed and there will be times when we have to do things differently,” Más concluded
.
Messi's numbers at Inter Miami
Since his arrival in mid-2023, the 10th played 7499 minutes with the Las Garzas jersey, spread over 91 games, in which he scored 80 goals and distributed 44 assists.
In terms of titles, he won: Leagues Cup 2023, Supporters' Shield 2024 and
