The Qatar 2022 World Cup has passed, the dramatic championship match has helped Messi enter the “Temple of Legends”, from which we should probably call him “King of Football Messi”. Off the field, what kind of car does Messi – this single, good-natured man like to drive?
According to media statistics over the years, Messi has owned more than 10 cars. Although the number is quite large, compared to other superstars in the sports world, it is quite low, including many cars from sponsors. Of course, the cars that Messi owns are very expensive and luxurious.
It is no surprise that the most popular brand in Messi’s garage is Audi. During his time at FC Barcelona, Audi provided scooters to Barcelona’s first-team players and coaches as a car brand sponsor.
Audi R8 V10 PLUS: Priced from 170,000-200,000 USD, this Audi R8 plus with V10 engine is similar to the Iron Man model, equipped with Audi Quattro system, 5.2L V10 FSI engine, acceleration from 0-100km/h in 3.2 seconds and a limited speed of 330 km/h. This is the most expensive Audi that Messi chose during the time Audi sponsored Barcelona.
Audi RS6: Priced at around $108,000, this is the high-performance RS6 Avant scooter, the second most expensive model in the Audi-sponsored Barcelona club cars after the Audi R8.
Audi A7: Priced at around $69,200, Messi doesn’t seem to like driving coupes, so his collection only has a few Audi A7s.
Audi Q7: Priced at around $54,590, according to foreign media reports, the Audi Q7 is Messi’s favorite car during his playing career at Barcelona and it is photographed by the media more often than other models. The Audi Q7 is used for commuting, going on dates and shopping.
It is worth noting that the Audi models mentioned above were all vehicles provided by sponsors and not purchased by Messi himself. After the cooperation between Barcelona and Audi ended in June 2019, Messi and his teammates returned all the cars sponsored by Audi.
Summary: Excluding factors like price, Messi prefers the practical Audi Q7.
Apart from the Audi Q7, Messi has been spotted driving other cars the most by the media, namely the Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE 63 COUPE and the Land Rover. Unlike the Audi, both cars were bought by Messi himself.
The first is a black Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S Coupe with a twin-turbo V8 engine producing 577 horsepower (about 585 kW) and a speed of 174 mph (about 280 km).
During his time at Barcelona, if Messi wasn’t driving his Audi from home to training, he would basically be driving this Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE 63 COUPE. Interestingly, Messi’s wife Antonella likes to post Messi’s driving habits on her personal social media platforms. Messi drives the Mercedes with one hand, looking like a part-time ride-hailing driver.
But when it comes to a family outing, Messi seems to prefer a Range Rover. In 2013, the Macy family of three were photographed driving out in a Range Rover Evoque, with Messi carefully taking a stroller out of the trunk.
Summary: Messi really likes practical SUVs and he favors Mercedes-Benz and Land Rover in terms of brands.
Compared to his “arch-enemy” Ronaldo, Messi is too inferior even though their income is the same. Ronaldo often posts new cars on Twitter every few weeks and Ronaldo also likes top supercars like Bugatti Veyron.
Being a good man who has only one wife, Messi drove one of his rare sports cars at his wedding – the Maserati GT MC Stradele. This car is equipped with a 4.7-liter V-8 engine with 460 horsepower. Although it is not as fast as a Bugatti, it can reach speeds of 300 km/h. Messi rarely drove this car after getting married and later sold it for $ 125,000.
Does Messi really hate sports cars? The answer is no, it’s just that as Messi gets older he may have lost his passion for racing and turned it into something deeper, like collecting.
As a rookie in football, Messi bought a Ferrari F430 at the age of 22. The car had a powerful V8 engine that gave the car 483 horsepower, 343 lb-ft of torque and a top speed of 199 mph. The price that year was “just” $379,000.
And now Messi is no longer driving the Ferrari F430 Spiderman. But Messi has a special affection for Ferrari and one detail can prove it: In 2016, a “mysterious rich businessman” bought a 1967 SCAGLIETTI Ferrari 335 Sport for 28 million euros at the official auction of that year’s Retromobile Classic Car Show. Later, the identity of this “mysterious rich businessman” was revealed to be Lionel Messi.
This car is cherished by Messi and has never been driven on public roads. Like Messi has won many different titles and medals, they are kept at home as works of art.
Summary: Ferrari was his true love, but he buried it deep in his heart.
