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Soccer Megastar Lionel Messi's Massive Contract Deal Will Make You Jealous

Published: Jul 05, 2017 3 min read
Deportivo Alaves vs Barcelona - Copa Del Rey Final
Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the Copa Del Rey Final between FC Barcelona and Deportivo Alaves at Vicente Calderon stadium on May 27, 2017 in Madrid, Spain.
David Ramos—Getty Images

Lionel Messi, considered by many as the best soccer player in the world, is getting a lucrative deal to stay with the team that helped him launch his career.

Messi will sign a new contract with his team FC Barcelona — securing the 30-year-old forward from Argentina a spot through 2021. The deal, according to Sky Sports, will make him $33.6 million a year. That's about $646,000 per week, according to the Washington Post.

Messi's deal tops those of many other star athletes in their respective sports. NBA star LeBron James, for example, signed a multi-year contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers last year, earning $31 million last season as he led his team to the championship. James will earn $33.28 million — just under Messi's salary— from the Cavaliers in the 2017-18 season.

As for the NFL, Tom Brady's two-year contract with the New England Patriots includes $20.5 million a year, which trails Messi's. But Brady did also get a $28 million signing bonus.

In the tennis world, Roger Federer earned $6 million in winnings last year, according to Forbes. (Federer doesn't have a team contract like Messi, James and Brady do.)

Of course, each of these players is at the top of their respective sports, earning millions more each year through endorsement deals and sponsorships.

In Messi's case, he earned another $27 million last year through sponsorships, according to Forbes.

Since debuting with the club in 2004, Messi has led the team to numerous titles and championships, including four Champions League wins, eight La Liga titles, five Copa del Ray championships and seven Spanish Super Cups, among others. Individually, Messi has won the Ballon d'Or prize, which is given to the world's best men's player.

"The Club is very happy with both the renewal and the commitment of Messi, the best player in history, who has played his full professional career at Barça and has led the team to an era of extraordinary success, the likes of which has never been seen in world football," the team wrote in a statement on Messi's new contract.