One of the greatest footballers of all time, Lionel Messi has taken Argentina to the final of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which is also the 35-year-old’s last World Cup. Winner of seven Ballon d’Or awards and six European Golden Shoes, Messi has played four World Cups prior to the ongoing one in Qatar – in 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018.
Not just one of the greatest sportspersons in the world, but Messi is also the world’s highest-paid athlete in 2022. Between May 2021 and May 2022, the Argentina and Paris Saint-Germain forward earned a whopping $75 million (Rs 611 crore) in on-field earnings and $55 million (Rs 448 crore) in off-field earnings, per Forbes. A majority of Messi’s on-field earnings come from the salary he draws from Paris Saint-Germain, which is $35 million (Rs 285 crore) annually, per Insider.
Off the field, Messi earns primarily from brand endorsements. The Argentinian charges $1.78 million (Rs 15 crore approx) for each branded post on Instagram, where he has over 380 million followers. Pepsi, Adidas and Gatorade are among the many brands endorsed by the athlete.
Messi has a net worth of around $600 million (Rs 4948 crore), per Sportskeeda, which makes it obvious that the footballer lives an uber-luxurious life. Not only does he own multiple properties around the world, but Messi also drives some of the world’s costliest cars. His car collection alone is worth a staggering $50 million (Rs 412 crore), per Sportskeeda. Take a look.
1. Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti
Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti is the most expensive car in Messi’s collection, worth a whopping $36 million (Rs 296 crore), per Sportskeeda. Reportedly, the football star purchased the beast, which has a 4.0L V12 engine that enables a speed of 300 km/h, in an auction. Only four Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti cars were produced by the Italian manufacturer in 1957. The two-seater sports car is also known as the prancing horse of 1957.
As per The Richest, Messi spent $4 million (Rs 32 crore) to buy Pagani Zonda Roadster, a mid-engine sports car that debuted at the 1999 Geneva Motor Show. A total of 40 Roadsters were produced by the Italian carmaker. Powered by a V12 engine, the sports car has a max speed of 349 km/h. The car, one of the fastest in the world, was built using carbon fiber, titanium and magnesium.
3. Mercedes SLS AMG
Mercedes SLS AMG, which Messi bought for $642,490 (Rs 5 crore), per Autobizz, is one of his most exotic vehicles. The coupe comes with a 6.2-liter DOHC V8 engine and has a top speed of 280 km/h. Discontinued in 2015, the 2-seater weighs 1,619 kg and has an aluminum body and a retractable rear wing among a list of other attractive features.
4. Maserati Gran Turismo MC Stradale
As per Autobizz, Messi also drives the Maserati Gran Turismo MC Stradale, which costs $242,100 (Rs 2 crore). The two-door, four-seat coupé is powered by a 4.7-liter V8 engine that produces 450 PS of horsepower and lets the car run from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds. A total of 28,805 GranTurismos were produced by the Italian automobile manufacturer Maserati from 2007 to 2019.
5. Ferrari F430 Spyder
Messi splurged $164,490 (Rs 1 crore) to buy a Ferrari F430 Spyder, per Sportskeeda. The Ferrari F430 is powered by a 4.3 L Ferrari F136 E V8 which generates 503hp of horsepower. Designed by Ferrari in collaboration with Pininfarina, the 430’s aluminum exterior gives it a luxurious look. The supercar was available with exclusive Goodyear Eagle F1 GSD3 EMT tyres, which excel in wet conditions. The 430 was preceded by the Ferrari 360 and succeeded by the Ferrari 458.
6. Range Rover Vogue
As per The Richest, the Range Rover is one of Messi’s frequently seen cars. He drives a $200,000 (Rs 165 lakh) worth Range Rover Vogue, which is fuelled by a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 engine that generates 394 bhp @ 5500 rpm and 550 Nm @ 2000 rpm of max power and max torque respectively. The five-seater can go from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds.
7. Range Rover Sport
Another Range Rover in Messi’s collection is the Range Rover Sport which he bought for $69,500 (Rs 57 lakh), per Sportskeeda. An SUV that redefines sporting luxury, the Range Rover Sport is a superfast car that can achieve a top speed of 280 km/h. The luxury car boasts satin burnished copper details and matte graphite lettering among other features.
8. Cadillac Escalade
Luxury SUV manufactured by General Motors, the Cadillac Escalade worth $250,000 (Rs 2 crore) is another luxurious vehicle parked in Messi’s garage, per The Richest. Mostly driven by US presidents, the eight-seater Escalade boasts a large cabin and can go from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.8 seconds with the help of its 6.2-liter V-8 engine.
9. Lexus RX 450h
Messi also owns a Lexus RX 450h which cost him $46,800 (Rs 39 lakh), per Sportskeeda. The mid-size luxury crossover SUV is equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine that generates a horsepower of 295 bhp. The car can go from 0 to 100 kmph in just 7.7 seconds and particularly stands out for its unique sporty looks.
10. 11. & 12. Audi cars
Messi drives the Audi RS6, worth $108,000 (Rs 90 lakh) and Audi A7, worth $69,200 (Rs 57 lakh), per Sportskeeda. Another Audi in his garage is the Q7 worth $54,590 (Rs 5 lakh), per Autobizz. The 5-seater RS6 comes with a V8 TFSI twin-turbo engine which generates 552.5bhp of horsepower. The A7 and Q7, meanwhile, share the same turbocharged V-6 engine that generates 335 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque.