Will Ferrell reveals Lionel Messi’s funny rule for commercial shoots
Lionel Messi has one simple rule during commercial shoots — if it’s not followed, he walks out.
Hollywood actor Will Ferrell shared this after hearing it from fellow actor Steve Carell, who recently worked with Messi on a World Cup ad.
As one of the biggest stars worldwide, Messi often teams up with huge brands like Adidas, Pepsi, Gatorade, and EA Sports.
He also appeared in a star-filled “No Lay’s No Game” campaign alongside soccer legends David Beckham, Thierry Henry, Alexia Putellas, and Carell.
In the ad, Messi visits a special Lay’s viewing party at Beckham’s house, greeting fans and signing autographs before settling in to watch the game.
While he seemed to enjoy himself, it turns out Messi likes to keep things quick on set and doesn’t want to hang around longer than needed.
Ferrell explained on the Dan Patrick Show that Messi only spends 30 minutes on set and will leave if everything isn’t wrapped up by then.
“There’s a rush to get all the shots done with Messi, otherwise, he’s out. He’s vamos,” Ferrell said, quoting Carell.
Messi is the highest-paid player in MLS, making a base salary of $12 million with guaranteed pay of $20.4 million before signing a new three-year contract.
He also owns a stake in Inter Miami and has bonuses built into his deal.
Off the field, Messi has greatly boosted the club’s sponsorship deals. Inter owner Jorge Mas said Messi earns around $80 million per year from the club.
“I pay Messi — worth every penny — but it’s $70 to $80 million a year. Players are expensive,” Mas shared.
Besides his massive salary, Messi makes big money from endorsements too. Forbes reported his off-field earnings at about $70 million a year.
He’s had a lifetime deal with Adidas since 2017, after switching from Nike in 2006, earning around $25 million yearly from the brand alone.