Lionel Messi will become the highest-paid footballer in the world after he signs his new contract with Barcelona.
According to reports from Spain, Messi insisted that he should be paid higher than Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, with Barcelona striking up a deal for the Argentinean striker that will see him paid a basic salary of £16.3 million a year, with added performance-based incentives.
This deal will see him overtaking Cristiano Ronaldo’s salary, which comes in at around the £15 million mark. The rise in Messi’s wage follows a relatively subdued season for the 26-year-old, though his impact upon Barcelona over the years has been phenomenal, with him scoring 354 goals in 424 official matches for the La Liga giants – more than any other player in the club’s history.
Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino said of the new contract: “It should give peace to him and especially to the club, who can continue to count on the best player in the world,”
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