Cover From a multi-million-euro Spanish property trust to a newly acquired football club in Catalonia, Lionel Messi’s financial playbooks extend far beyond standard athlete endorsement deals (Photo: themessistore/Instagram)
From a multi-million-euro Spanish property trust to a newly acquired football club in Catalonia, Lionel Messi’s financial playbooks extend far beyond standard athlete endorsement deals (Photo: themessistore/Instagram)
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From Silicon Valley tech to European football clubs, we track Lionel Messi’s current commercial investments
For most athletes, wealth management is largely about preserving earnings after retirement. Lionel Messi’s approach has been somewhat different. While still competing at the highest level of professional football, the Argentine has steadily expanded a portfolio that stretches across hospitality, real estate, sport, media and consumer products.
Unlike celebrity investors who frequently attach their names to dozens of unrelated ventures, Messi’s business interests largely revolve around sectors connected to lifestyle, entertainment and sport. Hotels sit alongside property holdings, football ownership complements sports technology investments and media production reflects the growing demand for athlete-led content.
Several of these projects have also evolved in recent years. His hotel portfolio has expanded beyond individual properties into a structured hospitality business, while his involvement in football ownership has moved from partnerships to outright club acquisition. At the same time, new ventures in beverages, apparel and media suggest an effort to build businesses that can operate independently of his playing career.
Here is a closer look at the major investments and business ventures associated with Lionel Messi.
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MiM Hotels
One of Lionel Messi’s primary business interests is MiM Hotels, a luxury hospitality brand with properties across Spain and Andorra. The boutique portfolio includes six hotels located in Sitges, Ibiza, Mallorca, Baqueira, Sotogrande and Andorra.
Management of the group was transferred to Meliá Hotels International under a lease agreement, integrating the properties into The Meliá Collection brand. The portfolio is segmented into adults-only locations, such as Ibiza and Mallorca, and family-friendly mountain resorts in Baqueira and Andorra.
All MiM properties hold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, reflecting a structural focus on sustainability. The hotels feature curated memorabilia, including replicas of Messi’s Ballon d’Or trophies, and the properties in Baqueira, Andorra and Sotogrande host Hincha, a restaurant concept developed with Michelin-starred chef Nandu Jubany. The hotel portfolio forms a significant part of Messi’s broader real estate holdings outside football.
Real estate investments
Property forms a core component of Lionel Messi’s investment strategy. Through his real estate investment trust, Edificio Rostower Socimi, he holds a portfolio of residential, commercial and hospitality assets valued at €223 million.
A notable recent acquisition is Barcelona’s historic Via Wagner galleries, purchased for €11.5 million. The 4,000-square-metre property, which had been abandoned since 1993, is scheduled for a comprehensive refurbishment to convert the former shopping complex into commercial rental offices. The broader portfolio, controlled via his family investment vehicle Limecu España 2010, spans assets in Spain, Andorra, Paris and London.
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Inter Miami CF equity and revenue sharing
When Lionel Messi joined Inter Miami in 2023, the financial framework attracted attention for leveraging commercial partnerships beyond standard player salaries. The total compensation package, valued between $70 million and $80 million annually, includes distinct revenue-sharing agreements with league partners Apple, Adidas and Fanatics.
Under these arrangements, Messi receives a percentage of new MLS Season Pass subscriptions on Apple TV, as well as a share of profits from MLS merchandise sales. The contract also grants him an option to acquire a minority ownership stake in the franchise upon retirement. This structure mirrors the precedent set by David Beckham’s move to the league, positioning the player as a corporate partner invested in the long-term valuation of the club and the broader domestic league.
UE Cornellà
In April 2026, Lionel Messi expanded his involvement in football operations by acquiring Spanish club UE Cornellà. The Catalan side, based just outside Barcelona, competes in the Tercera Federación, the fifth tier of domestic football, following recent relegations. The club announced that Messi had acquired 100 per cent of the shares for full ownership control, marking his first independent club purchase while still an active player. The institution is recognized for a youth academy that helped produce international players such as Jordi Alba and David Raya. The acquisition establishes a permanent commercial link to the region where Messi spent over two decades of his playing career.
525 Rosario
In September 2024, Lionel Messi launched 525 Rosario, a media and entertainment production company created as a joint venture with Smuggler Entertainment. The company develops television projects, films, live sports events, community initiatives and branded commercial content for athletes.
The name references Messi's roots, combining his Argentine hometown with the street number of his childhood family home. Headquartered in Miami and Los Angeles, the banner operates under the supervision of the Messi family with Smuggler co-founder Tim Pastore serving as chief executive. The venture represents the player's most significant move into the global entertainment sector.
Play Time Sports-Tech HoldCo
Founded in October 2022, Play Time Sports-Tech HoldCo serves as Lionel Messi’s primary vehicle for venture capital and technology incubation. Headquartered in San Francisco, the holding company targets stage-agnostic investments at the intersection of sports, media and digital innovation.
The firm is operated by Graph Ventures partner Razmig Hovaghimian, alongside special adviser Michael Marquez, founding partner of Code Advisors. Play Time’s early portfolio concentrated on fan engagement and football culture, anchoring the initial funding for the gaming platform Matchday and acquiring a stake in the match-worn jersey marketplace AC Momento.
The vehicle has since diversified into foundational technology, holding investments in AI data management platform SuperAnnotate, autonomous robotics developer FieldAI and spatial computing startup World Labs. The platform represents the most technologically focused segment of Messi's broader corporate holdings.
The Messi Store
The Messi Store is the footballer’s official lifestyle and premium apparel brand. Launched in September 2019, the digital-first retail platform sells casual wear, sportswear and accessories carrying his name and core branding.
The brand was initially developed and operated under a global licensing agreement with the design agency MGO Global Inc. However, in March 2024, following continuous financial deficits at the licensing firm, operational control and the brand license were transferred to Centric Brands in a transaction valued at $2 million. The current arrangement allows Messi to participate directly in the consumer retail market via Leo Messi Management, which retains a 12 per cent royalty on sales while leveraging the global distribution networks of his corporate partners.
Food and beverage investments
Beyond hospitality, Lionel Messi has diversified his portfolio through targeted investments in the gastronomy and wine sectors. In July 2025, he joined El Club de la Milanesa as a strategic partner to support the international expansion of the Argentine restaurant chain. The brand operates over 70 locations across Argentina, Uruguay and the United States, using Miami as a hub for its upcoming entry into European markets.
His viticulture interests include the long-standing L10 wine portfolio, developed in collaboration with Argentina's Bodegas Bianchi to benefit the Leo Messi Foundation. He expanded this footprint by launching the Lionel Messi Collection, a premium wine line produced in partnership with the Swiss winery Château Constellation, featuring terroirs from Switzerland and Italy.
As Lionel Messi continues his playing career, his investment portfolio already spans multiple industries. Real estate and hospitality remain the largest pillars, while football ownership, media production and technology investments suggest an increasing focus on long-term business growth beyond the pitch.
Chonx Tibajia is a senior editor at Tatler Asia’s T-Labs team, where she writes widely on lifestyle subjects including beauty, style, entertainment and travel. She has a long career in journalism, including roles as a columnist at The Philippine Star, and is the founder of the creative platform Pineappleversed. Beyond Tatler, her bylines appear in regional lifestyle and business publications, showcasing a broad portfolio that spans beauty trends, travel guides and culture pieces.
