Barcelona’s Lionel Messi is football’s second billionaire after officially pushing his pre-tax career earnings to more than $1 billion according to financial experts Forbes. Messi is the second footballer to achieve the $1bn feat after long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo. Who joins Messi on the Forbes richest footballer 2020 list?
Not only is Messi officially the second billionaire footballer, but he is also the sport’s highest-paid player in 2020. The Barcelona forward will earn £98 million by the time the year ends.
Who is on the Forbes richest footballer 2020 list?
Forbes richest footballer 2020 list is populated by some of the best players in the world.
Barcelona, Juventus, and Paris Saint-Germain top the richest footballer of 2020 list with the top-four earners. Messi’s earnings for this season show just why Barcelona wanted to move the player on this summer to rebuild the squad.
Messi’s salary isn’t just from playing for Barcelona. The earnings reported by Forbes also takes into consideration his sponsorship deals with Adidas and Pepsi. Adidas signed Messi to a lifetime contract allowing them to control his image for years to come.
Is Lionel Messi’s career coming to an end?
The Argentine turned 33-years old in June 2020. News emerged this summer that Messi wanted a move away from Camp Nou. He has just one season left on his current Barcelona contract. The summer of 2021 could see a club other than Barcelona sign Messi.
Although Messi stated he would finish his career at Barcelona, it looks increasingly likely that he could sign with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
Richest footballer 2020 list fastest riser
Paris Saint-Germain youngster Kylian Mbappe is the fastest rising player on the richest footballer 202o list. The French World Cup winner will earn £33m by the time 2020 comes to an end.
Mbappe’s earnings are far more than either Messi or Ronaldo’s total incomes at the same time in their careers. Rumours persist that Mbappe could leave Paris Saint-Germain in 2021, which could improve his earnings power.