After Lionel Messi opened up about leaving PSG, fans expected him to move to Barcelona. His boyhood club had talks with the player’s representatives, only for the deal to break down. Usually, the next destination would be Saudi Arabia, where Cristiano Ronaldo plays soccer and earns massive wages.

But Messi’s move to Inter Miami shocked the world. Arriving in MLS with much fanfare, Messi decided to join the Miami-based franchise for a four-year deal. Hence, this deal also has clauses that will see him earn more, similar to Michael Jordan’s deal with Nike. 

Legacy companies Adidas and Apple stepped into the deals to have their say. Profits made would go to the Argentinian in the upcoming years. So where does he rank amongst the highest-paid soccer stars of the MLS?

Lionel Messi set to earn 6x more than MLS stars

As per reports by Daily Mail, the legendary soccer player will earn $54 million per year in the four-year deal. Thus, he automatically becomes the highest-paid player in the MLS. Currently, the highest-paid player in the MLS is Switzerland’s Xherdan Shaqiri. He plays for the Chicago Fire and earns $8.2 million. The right winger was one player to come in his prime. Destinations in the US look great for soccer players to relocate from Europe and other parts of the world. 

The second highest-paid player is Toronto FC’s Lorenzo Insigne, with $7.5 million. The Italian winger was one of the standout stars of the Serie A and probably was a notable coup for the MLS. Compared to other players in the MLS, his technical dribbling skills and passing ability are unmatched. La Galaxy’s Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez completes the top three with $7.4 million. 

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Thus, the deal looks set for Messi to become the highest-paid soccer player in the world. More than that, the additional clauses in the contract make it even sweeter. 

Jordan-like clauses for the superstar!

When Michael Jordan turned to Nike in his yesteryears, Messi signed with the German sportswear brand Adidas in 2006. After that, he signed a lifetime footwear deal with the company in 2017. In the contract clause, Messi would receive a cut for the merchandising sales of the Adidas jerseys in the MLS. Boosting the league with his brand image would probably urge the fans to buy some soccer jerseys. 

Likewise, Apple will offer a percentage of their revenue to Lionel if he manages to get new subscribers for their MLS pass on Apple TV Plus. The company is also in talks to produce a four-part docuseries about the legendary player’s soccer career. All in all, Lionel Messi is delighted to join the USA and probably end his career there. Are you excited to see him play?

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