How much is Lionel Messi’s salary at Inter Miami? Weekly wages, contract and tax amount explained 

After weeks of anticipation, Lionel Messi was finally confirmed as an Inter Miami player on Saturday, July 15. The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner signed a two-and-a-half-year contract so let's delve into how much he will be earning and paying in tax at the MLS club.

Messi left the football world stunned after opting to join Inter Miami. Many fans thought he would go for the far more luxurious offer on the table in the form of Al-Hilal or return to Barcelona. The Argentine icon could have earned a massive reported $440 million with Al-Hilal but his Inter Miami salary is nothing short of impressive either.

Lionel Messi is set to become the highest-paid athlete in the US. He will earn $54 million annually, amounting to a weekly wage of around $1.2 million. He will easily surpass Xherdan Shaqiri, who is currently the highest-paid player in the MLS with an annual salary of $8,153,000 playing for the Chicago Fire.

However, as the 36-year-old is living in Miami, he will be heavily taxed. As per sports entrepreneur Andrew Petcash, out of the $54 million he is set to earn, $20.35 million will reportedly be allocated toward federal tax. Moreover, $1.64 million will be for jock tax, and $1.29 million is for FICA/Medicare. Messi won't be charged for Florida tax and agent fees.

Therefore, his net income post-tax is set to be $31.7 million. This sum will include salary, signing bonus, and equity, but it will not include revenue-sharing deals with Adidas, Apple, and Fanatics, according to reporter Kurt Badenhausen.

The MLS have strict salary caps so many fans have wondered how Inter Miami are paying Lionel Messi so much. The club have already filled its three designated player (DP) spots - which allows salaries to exceed the league's cap of $612,500 for a single player.

To accommodate their new signings of Sergio Busquets and Messi, the club are likely going to move two players from the DP position to a regular roster spot.

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Lionel Messi thanks Inter Miami fans after club unveiling

Lionel Messi thanked Inter Miami fans after being unveiled by the club on Sunday, July 16 alongside Barcelona legend and former teammate Sergio Busquets. The pair were revealed to fans in a live-streamed event called La PresentaSion at the DRV PNK Stadium.

Lionel Messi was presented with his iconic No.10 shirt. He emotionally posted on his Instagram page after the event:

"I want to thank everyone for yesterday!. The rain made it different than planned but still everything was beautiful. Thank you to everyone who came, thank you very much for all the love and also to the artists who were there and despite the conditions sang spectacularly. See you on Friday again..."

The 2022 FIFA World Cup winner could make his debut for the club on July 21 against Cruz Azul.