Lionel
Messi
F
#10
Lionel Messi
#10F
Inter Miami CF
Height : 5' 7" · Weight : 148 lbs · Age : 39
MLS record
| Year | Team | FC | FA | RC | YC | OG | APP | SUB | A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current season | Inter Miami CF | 17 | 40 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 24 | 1 | 13 |
Salary
Inter Miami CF payroll →- 2026 guaranteed comp.
- 28.33 M$
- Base salary
- 25.00 M$
- Rank on the club
- #1 of 26
Guaranteed compensation: base salary plus signing bonuses and other guaranteed money, annualized; performance bonuses are not included. Contract length is not made public.
Advanced stats, 2026 Attacking midfielders and wingers
MLS stats →2026 season, in progress (2,402 minutes played). The percentile ranks the player among regular attacking midfielders and wingers (1,000+ minutes over a full season): 90th means better than 90% of them.
Goals
21
99th percentile
Assists
11
98th percentile
Expected goals (xG)
19.3
99th percentile
Expected assists (xA)
10.6
99th percentile
Goals − xG
+1.7
91th percentile
Key passes
58
93th percentile
Pass completion
77.6 %
63th percentile
Passes over expected
+3.8 /100
97th percentile
g+ per 90
+0.42
99th percentile
Minutes
2,402
Regular season. xG: expected goals from chance quality; xA: expected assists. Passes over expected: completed passes above expectation, per 100 passes, given their difficulty. g+: goals added, above the position average. Data: American Soccer Analysis.
2027 projection
MLS trends →Projected WAR
1.8
Confidence: high · based on the backtest and minutes played
Projected minutes
2,838
WAR 2026
2.2
Minutes played
2,402
The pace of the last three seasons (WAR per minute, 60/25/15), pulled toward the group average as if 1,000 more minutes, over the minutes expected from the last two seasons, adjusted for age. Method chosen by backtest (2023 to 2026): mean error of 0.24 wins.
Trend
↓ Slight decline (-15)
- 20230.3 WAR · 2.20 per 3,000 min
- 20241.3 WAR · 2.31 per 3,000 min
- 20253.4 WAR · 3.75 per 3,000 min
- 20262.2 WAR · 2.75 per 3,000 min
The trend compares this season's WAR per 3,000 minutes with last season's (at least 500 minutes each), weighted by playing time.
Outlook, age included
-45 · 39 y.o. · the age when performance usually declines
It is only a projection. It knows nothing about injuries, transfers or role changes.
Player ratings, 2026
All ratings →Ratings from 0 to 100, computed over four seasons from data, never by hand, against regulars in the same position group. 75 = established regular, 87 = 90th percentile, 95+ = elite. EX counts his MLS seasons since 2021, from our data: his career elsewhere is not included.
OV · Overall
97
MLS elite
- VIS
- Vision
- 97
- DRI
- Dribbling
- 97
- SHO
- Shot threat
- 97
- PAS
- Passing
- 97
- FIN
- Finishing
- 89
- MOV
- Movement
- 87
- DUR
- Durability
- 84
- EX
- Experience
- 63
Why these ratings?Hide details
- VIS — Vision : Expected assists and key passes per 90
- DRI — Dribbling : Goals added by carrying the ball
- SHO — Shot threat : Expected goals and shots per 90
- PAS — Passing : Goals added by passing, passes completed over expected
- FIN — Finishing : Goals over expected goals, shot quality
- MOV — Movement : Goals added by receiving: getting open to receive
- DUR — Durability : Share of his club's minutes played, over several seasons
- EX — Experience : MLS seasons since 2021 (our data)
WAR and PAL Rating, 2026
How we rate →WAR: the goals added (g+) of each of his actions, above replacement level (the per-minute output of his group's fringe players), converted to standings points (0.64 points per goal), then to wins (3 points = one win). PAL Rating scores performance from 0 to 100 against regulars in the same group (50 = median).
WAR
2.2
#1 of 90 regular attacking midfielders and wingers
+10.5 goals above replacement
PAL Rating
99 / 100
#1 of 90 regular attacking midfielders and wingers
Value Rating · 2026
Sporting contract value
0 / 100
The surplus: his 2026 WAR (2.2) × the price of a win ($3.6M), minus his 2026 guaranteed compensation, against other attacking midfielders and wingers. Commercial value (tickets, sponsors, media rights) is not counted.Salary$28.3MSurplus−$20.3MWAR paid7.79PAL: dimensions
Where WAR comes from (in wins)
Carrying the ball and beating defenders, minus the balls lost.
How his passes change his team's chances of scoring and conceding.
The value of his shots: the quality of the chance and what he makes of it.
Getting open and receiving the ball in dangerous areas.
Fouls drawn (free kicks, penalties won) minus fouls committed.
Breaking up the opponent's play: tackles, interceptions, clearances, blocked shots.
The parts above are measured against the position average. This adjustment moves the baseline to a fringe player in his group, prorated by minutes: positive when fringe players do worse than average, negative when they do better.
| Season | Team | Min | WAR | PAL | OV | G | A | xG | xA | g+/90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | MIA | 2,402 | 2.2 | 99 | 97 | 21 | 11 | 19.3 | 10.6 | +0.42 |
| 2025 | MIA | 2,720 | 3.4 | 99 | 96 | 29 | 16 | 24.1 | 13.1 | +0.52 |
| 2024 | MIA | 1,690 | 1.3 | 98 | 93 | 20 | 10 | 11.7 | 3.8 | +0.29 |
| 2023 | MIA | 409 | 0.3 | 93 | 81 | 1 | 2 | 2.5 | 1.5 | +0.32 |
Lionel Messi in five questions
How many goals does Lionel Messi have in 2026?
Lionel Messi has 21 goals and 11 assists in 2,402 minutes in 2026 (expected goals: 19.3).
How old and how tall is Lionel Messi?
Lionel Messi is 39 years old. He is 5'7" (170 cm) and weighs 148 lb (67 kg).
How good is Lionel Messi?
Lionel Messi produced 2.2 wins above replacement (WAR) in 2026, 1st of 90 players at his position in the MLS. His PAL rating is 99 out of 100: elite for his position.
How much does Lionel Messi make?
Lionel Messi earns $28.3M for the 2026 season. His Value Rating (on-field contract efficiency) is 0 out of 100 (very poor return): it measures the on-field return for that salary, compared with players at his position; the player's commercial value is not part of it.
What number does Lionel Messi wear, and what team does he play for?
Lionel Messi plays for Inter Miami CF in the MLS, at F, and wears number 10.
