33-year-old Lionel Messi – considered by many to be the best footballer in the game’s history – has spent his entire career at Barcelona FC.
The Barca talisman’s current contract is reportedly worth up to a stupendous €555m (£492m) over four seasons – thought to be the biggest pay package deal ever put together for an athlete.
Spain’s El Mundo newspaper revealed it had access to the highly confidential document the football star signed with the Catalan club in 2017, which included fixed incomes and bonuses that could reach nearly €138m (£122m) each season. The 33-year-old Argentinian – considered by many to be the best footballer ever – would have to pay about half of that amount in taxes in Spain.
The report also said Messi had already secured more than €510m (£452m) of the total contract, which the newspaper said was the most expensive contract ever paid to an athlete.
The leak comes as Barcelona are encumbered with a huge debt largely caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Messi, who has spent his entire career at the club after joining in 2000 as a youth player, sees his contract with the Catalans run out in June this year. It is as yet unclear where the player might move to, but his salary means very few clubs could afford him, especially with the drop in revenue caused by the pandemic as only those clubs with immensely wealthy independent backers whose fortunes have been less affected by the impact of COVID-19 will be his possible options.
Messi is the recipient of a record six Ballon d’Or awards during his time at Barcelona, while helping the club win 10 Spanish league titles and four Champions League crowns.
The club has been led by a caretaker board since president Josep Bartomeu resigned in October while facing a no-confidence motion.
Barcelona are now currently in second place in the Laliga after a fresh 2-1 home win against Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, courtesy of a sublime Messi free kick and a superb goal by Antoine Griezmann.