Who offered Messi 1 5 billion
Who offered Messi 1.5 billion?
What would you do with $1.5 billion? For soccer superstar Lionel Messi, this wasn’t a fantasy—it was a real job offer. In 2023, one team put a contract on the table so massive it would have made him the highest-paid athlete in history by a landslide, offering more than double the entire career earnings of legends like Tom Brady. So, who was willing to pay that much, and why?
The record-shattering bid came from Al-Hilal, a dominant force in the Saudi Pro League, which is Saudi Arabia’s main soccer league. To understand their status, think of them as the New York Yankees or Manchester United of their region—a historic powerhouse. The Al-Hilal Messi offer details were designed to one-up their biggest rival, who had just signed Cristiano Ronaldo, and make the biggest splash in sports history.
This level of spending, however, isn’t just about club rivalry. According to numerous reports, the money traces back to Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), the nation’s colossal sovereign wealth fund. This aggressive Saudi Pro League transfer strategy is a key part of the country’s plan to become a global entertainment hub, which ultimately left Messi with a choice: accept historic wealth, or pursue a different kind of legacy by choosing a team in America.
Why the Messi Offer Was All About Beating Cristiano Ronaldo
This incredible offer didn’t come out of nowhere. To understand the real motive, you have to look not at Messi, but at his lifelong rival: Cristiano Ronaldo. The two biggest soccer stars of their generation were about to become the centerpieces of a fierce local competition, setting the stage for a financial showdown in the Saudi Pro League. The historic bid for Messi was, at its core, a direct and stunning counter-move.
Just a few months earlier, another top Saudi club, Al-Nassr, had shocked the world by signing Ronaldo. His contract was valued at over $200 million per year, making him the highest-paid athlete on the planet at the time. Crucially, Al-Nassr is Al-Hilal’s biggest and most bitter rival. Think of it like the Los Angeles Lakers watching the Boston Celtics sign the league’s MVP—a response was not just expected, but demanded by their fans.
For Al-Hilal, simply matching their rival wasn’t an option. They wanted to make a statement that would echo across the globe. Their response was to table an offer for Messi that didn’t just top Ronaldo’s deal—it completely dwarfed it. By putting a contract worth a reported $500 million per year on the table, Al-Hilal wasn’t just trying to sign a player; they were trying to win the rivalry before the two superstars even stepped on the field.
How Does a $1.5 Billion Offer Actually Break Down?
That stunning offer wasn’t for a single season. The total figure, reported to be as high as $1.5 billion, was structured as a multi-year deal, with an annual salary clocking in at around $500 million. It’s a number so large it almost loses meaning. To truly grasp what Al-Hilal put on the table, it helps to break it down.
If Messi had accepted, his earnings would have looked something like this:
- Roughly $500 million per year
- Over $41 million per month
- Over $1.3 million per day
- Over $57,000 per hour
To put that into perspective, NFL legend Tom Brady earned an estimated $333 million over his entire 23-year career. Messi was offered significantly more than that for a single year’s work. This wasn’t just club money; it was a statement of national ambition, funded by a source far bigger than soccer itself.
Why Is Saudi Arabia Spending Billions on Soccer Stars?
This kind of spending goes far beyond one team’s desire to win a championship. The massive contracts offered to superstars like Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are funded by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), and they are a key part of a much larger national project. It’s less about soccer and more about securing the country’s future.
At the heart of this strategy is a nationwide plan called Saudi Vision 2030. This ambitious project aims to transform the country’s economy, reducing its long-standing dependence on oil revenue while boosting new industries like tourism and entertainment. By bringing the world’s most famous athletes to the Saudi Pro League, the country instantly grabs global headlines and advertises itself as a modern, dynamic place to visit and do business.
Beyond pure economics, many observers point to another powerful motive. This tactic is often referred to as “sportswashing”—the practice of using glamorous, high-profile sports to polish a country’s international reputation and shift focus away from criticism over its human rights record. Hosting major events and signing beloved players helps associate the nation with excitement and excellence.
In essence, the eye-watering offer for Messi was designed to accelerate both goals at once. It was a calculated investment in economic diversification and public relations. This makes his final decision to turn down the world’s biggest payday and choose a different path even more fascinating.
The Choice: Why Did Messi Reject the World’s Biggest Payday?
Faced with the largest salary offer in sports history, Lionel Messi made a choice that shocked the world. He turned it down. Instead of heading to Saudi Arabia for a guaranteed fortune, he announced he was moving to the United States to play for a relatively new team, Inter Miami CF, in North America’s Major League Soccer (MLS). This decision immediately begged the question: why leave so much money on the table?
For Messi, the answer wasn’t just about finances; it was about family. According to numerous reports and his own interviews, the decision was deeply personal and centered on his family’s quality of life. Having already lived a high-pressure life at the top of European soccer, the idea of moving his wife and children to a familiar, comfortable environment in Miami was reportedly a top priority. He spoke about wanting a different, calmer experience—a factor that a nine-figure salary couldn’t outweigh.
The move also involved one global soccer icon recruiting another. Inter Miami is famously co-owned by David Beckham, who had a similar experience when he left Europe to raise the profile of soccer in America years ago. Beckham helped craft an offer that, while not close to the Saudi deal, was about more than just a salary. It was a complex partnership built around legacy, business, and long-term earnings that could ultimately prove incredibly valuable.
The Miami Deal: How ‘Less’ Money Could Mean More in the Long Run
While Inter Miami’s offer couldn’t match the sheer size of the Saudi deal, it was far more creative. Instead of just a salary, the contract was structured like a massive business partnership. Messi wasn’t simply being hired as a player; he was being brought in as a partner to help grow an entire league, with the promise of sharing in its success.
A key part of this involves revenue sharing, an arrangement where Messi gets a piece of the profits he helps generate. He receives a cut from new subscriptions to Apple TV’s MLS Season Pass, the league’s global streaming partner. A similar profit-sharing agreement is also in place with Adidas, the official apparel sponsor for the MLS, giving him a slice of the increased jersey and merchandise sales.
The deal also looks beyond his playing career. Upon retirement, Messi has the option to acquire an ownership stake in Inter Miami. This gives him a path to becoming a part-owner of the team, just like his boss David Beckham did. It’s a chance to turn his on-field legacy into a long-term financial asset.
Ultimately, Messi’s decision was a massive bet on himself and soccer’s future in America. By turning down a guaranteed fortune, he chose to own a piece of the growth he knew his presence would create.
Two Futures for Soccer: What Messi’s Choice Means for the Sport
Lionel Messi’s choice crystallizes two competing visions for the future of global soccer. On one side is the Saudi Pro League’s strategy: using immense national wealth to purchase established fame, instantly elevating a domestic league’s profile. This model prioritizes immediate impact and global attention by acquiring the world’s biggest stars.
On the other side is the MLS model, embodied by the Inter Miami deal. Instead of just a salary, it offers a long-term business partnership, giving a player like Messi a stake in the league’s growth through revenue sharing and future ownership. This approach focuses on building an entire ecosystem around a superstar, betting that their presence can create sustainable value for years to come.
Messi’s decision was more than a personal choice; it was a vote for one of these powerful philosophies over the other. His move to Miami set these two models on a collision course, and the clash for dominance in world soccer is just getting started.
