By signing Lionel Messi to play in the United States, the MLS and Inter Miami have just made a move that will change the game. His contract does compare favorably to some of the biggest athletes right now. But we made the decision to contrast his pay with that of two athletes from the two most widely watched sports in the nation.
The terms of Lionel Messi’s contract will be compared to those of players like Stephen Curry and Patrick Mahomes. These two are regarded as two of the best athletes in American sports history and potential Hall of Famers. But how does Lionel Messi’s contract compare to the other two on this list of the top three? Let’s start out by assuming that Messi will earn an estimated $54 million year from Inter Miami. This ought to serve as the foundation for any comparison.
With his current contract, Stephen Curry was guaranteed $51.9 million for the previous campaign. However, the terms of his deal indicate that he will raise the contract’s worth as time goes on. In 2022, he agreed to a new contract, which he kept until 2026. Stephen Curry will earn an estimated $55.7 million next season and $59.6 million the following year because he still has three years left on his contract.
However, if we only factor in the upcoming season, he will earn a little bit more money than Leo Messi. However, Patrick Mahomes’ situation is a little different from that of the Argentine star because quarterback contracts have significantly increased recently, which has put him slightly behind in terms of pay. Remember that the quarterback who won NFL MVP last season is the subject of this discussion, who just scrapes into the Top 10 highest-paid quarterbacks. His current, 10-year contract, which is good until 2027, only pays him $42 million a season. Other NFL quarterbacks, like Lamar Jackson or Deshaun Watson, earn $50 million or more annually.
The Kansas City Chiefs prefer to hold off until most quarterbacks sign new contracts, since this will enable them to determine the appropriate compensation for their quarterback. Mahomes will have a minimum guaranteed salary of $60 million per season for the following 10 years by the time he is eligible to negotiate a new contract. Highly deserving.