Lionel Messi salary: what the headline figure really means for your take-home pay

What the Lionel Messi salary tells us about gross pay, packages, and take-home

When you see a headline like “Lionel Messi salary $A39 million”, it is easy to assume that is the amount landing in his bank account. But in reality, that figure is his guaranteed compensation – a package that includes base salary, guaranteed bonuses, marketing incentives, and agent fees annualised over the contract. It does not include performance bonuses or separate commercial deals. The same confusion happens every day in Australia: job ads quote a “package” that includes super, and many workers mistake that for their take-home pay.

The numbers behind the Lionel Messi salary

According to the Major League Soccer Players Association salary guide, Messi’s 2026 base salary is $US25 million, and his guaranteed compensation is $US28,333,333. Converted to Australian dollars, that is roughly $A35 million base and $A39 million guaranteed . His career earnings in MLS now exceed $US89 million . To put it in perspective, his guaranteed compensation alone is more than the entire payroll of 28 of the 30 MLS teams .

Gross salary vs package vs take-home

In Australia, the three concepts are often mixed up:

• Gross salary – the cash amount before any deductions (tax, super, Medicare levy).
• Package – gross salary plus employer superannuation contributions (currently 12% from 1 July 2026) and sometimes other benefits like a car or housing. A job ad that says “$120,000 package” might mean $107,143 salary plus $12,857 super.
• Take-home pay – what actually hits your bank account after income tax, Medicare levy, and any other deductions (HELP, salary sacrifice, etc.).

For Messi, the $A39 million is a package. His actual take-home after US taxes would be much less. For you, the difference matters when comparing job offers. Always check whether a figure is “plus super” or “including super”.

Australian tax and Medicare on a hypothetical Messi salary

If Messi were an Australian resident earning $A39 million in 2026–27, his tax would be calculated using the resident rates:

• Nil on the first $18,200
• 15c per $1 over $18,200 up to $45,000
• 30c per $1 over $45,000 up to $135,000
• 37c per $1 over $135,000 up to $190,000
• 45c per $1 over $190,000

Plus the Medicare levy of 2% (full rate applies above the single upper threshold of $35,013). The low-income tax offset would not apply at this income. The result: roughly $17.5 million in tax and Medicare, leaving about $21.5 million take-home. That is a 45% reduction – a stark reminder that headline figures can be misleading.

Why the mix-up matters for your own salary

You might see a job advertised at “$80,000 plus super”. That means your gross salary is $80,000, and your employer adds $9,600 super (12%). Your total package is $89,600. But your take-home after tax and Medicare (assuming no other deductions) would be about $62,000 – far from the package figure. The same principle applies at every income level. Understanding the difference helps you negotiate better and budget accurately.

Australian benchmarks for comparison

To give context, here are the latest published figures from Fair Work and the ABS:

• National minimum wage: $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week, $52,255 per year (from 1 July 2026).
• All employees average weekly total earnings: $1,579.20 per week ($82,118 per year) – includes part-time.
• Full-time adult ordinary time earnings: $2,083.70 per week ($108,352 per year) – excludes overtime and employer super.

Messi’s $A39 million package is 746 times the minimum wage. But even at the average full-time earnings, the gap between package and take-home is significant.

Medicare levy thresholds you should know

The latest published single-person Medicare thresholds are $28,011 and $35,013. If your taxable income is below $28,011, you pay no Medicare levy. Between $28,011 and $35,013, you pay a shade rate of 10c per $1 over the lower threshold. Above $35,013, you pay the full 2%. For most full-time workers, the full 2% applies.

How to avoid the mix-up

When you see a salary figure, ask: “Is this base salary, total package, or take-home?” Use our Take-home pay guide to estimate what you will actually receive. For a deeper look at how tax and Medicare affect your income, see Tax and Medicare. And remember, super is not part of your take-home – it is locked away until retirement. For more on that, read about Super.