Lionel Messi's Contracts Since The Start

Lionel Messi, the Argentine footballing star made his professional debut in the footballing world in 2005 under the Dutch coach Frank Rijkaard who was FC Barcelona's manager at the time. He started alongside the great Brazilian Ronaldinho and the extraordinary Cameroon striker Samuel Eto.

However, once a prodigy, Lionel Messi net worth at Glorious Net Worth was nothing. By the time he improved, his contracts with the club improved. Each one provided him with better incentives and earnings from the previous ones. Here is a look at the FC Barcelona's star man's contract starting from 2004.

1. 2004: In 2004, Lionel Messi was playing for FC Barcelona's youth team. His contract tied him for the next eight years until 2012. His weekly wage at the time was almost $2000. However, his wages were instantly increased to $11600 once he was played in a friendly match for the senior side.
2. 2005: As the season 2005-06 kicked off, FC Barcelona realized Messi's real potential and offered him his first professional contract as a part of the first team with a weekly wage of $30000. The contract had to run out in 2010.
3. 2005 (September): Within three months of Lionel Messi's first ever professional contract, he was offered a new 9 years deal doubling his wages to $60000 per week.
4. 2007: The contract stayed the same for two years. In 2007, Barcelona offered Lionel Messi another improved contract worth $120000 a week.
5. 2008: By 2008, Lionel Messi was a contender of the throne of best player in the world alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. Guardiola came in FC Barcelona's coach Messi became the main man of the team and hence got a new contract which paid him $190000 per week.
6. 2009: Lionel Messi was the star man as FC Barcelona won six trophies in 2009. The club offered him a contract till 2016 and a weekly wage of $290000.
7. 2013: The Argentine signed a new contract in 2013 which had to end in 2018. His weekly wage was set to $320000.
8. 2014: In 2014, Lionel Messi's wages were increased to $460000 per week (after tax).
9. 2017: In 2017, Lionel Messi signed a new contract with the club which ends in 2021 and pays Lionel Messi $640000 a week (after tax). He is the 2nd highest paid player in the world after Neymar Jr.

The Argentine striker has been FC Barcelona's main man for almost a decade now and has given the Catalan club enormous success. He deserves every penny he has received from the club. There is no amount of money that FC Barcelona can pay Leo that would equalize his efforts for the club.

Lionel Messi net worth has increased significantly since his last contract extension. It is expected to be nothing less than $230 million.