Lionel Messi by the numbers: his contract, Inter Miami ticket prices and more

Lionel Messi’s move to Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami CF continues to kick up major interest.

Inter Miami’s ticket prices are soaring and its social media following keeps growing after Messi confirmed his plan to join the U.S. club co-owned and run by fellow soccer great David Beckham.

Messi’s move this summer follows 17 seasons with Barcelona and two with Paris Saint-Germain. Last year, the 35-year-old forward led his native Argentina to its first World Cup title since 1986.

Here’s what we know about Messi’s historic movie:

LIONEL MESSI CONTRACT

Messi and the MLS both acknowledged there’s still work to be done to finalize his contract, but there’s no doubt it will be big.

The deal is expected to be valued between $125 million and $150 million, according to the Miami Herald, though it’s unclear how it will be broken down. It’s reportedly a 2.5-year contract with an option year, with the deal including team equity and bonuses in addition to the base salary.

Messi is also said to be working on terms with Apple, which owns MLS streaming rights, and Adidas, which has partnerships with the MLS and Messi.

INTER MIAMI SCHEDULE

Messi’s debut is yet to be announced, though reports suggest he’s looking at a July 21 home match against the Mexican club Cruz Azul.

The team’s schedule runs through mid-October and notably includes an Aug. 26 match in New Jersey against the New York Red Bulls. Miami also welcomes NYCFC to Florida on Sept. 30.

INTER MIAMI TICKETS

Ticket prices surged shortly after Messi’s announcement, with standing-room admission for the Cruz Azul match now starting at nearly $900 on Ticketmaster before fees. The cheapest seat on StubHub, meanwhile, is listed for about $700.

The Red Bulls match costs more than $400 on Ticketmaster and more than $350 on Stubhub, while seats to a Sept. 3 game in Los Angeles run above $500 on both websites.

Those prices are a far cry from what it costs to see Inter Miami before Messi’s arrival. Tickets to Saturday’s game in Foxborough, Mass., start around $30 on StubHub, while tickets to a July 1 home game vs. Austin FC also begin under $40.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Inter Miami boasted 5.7 million Instagram as of Thursday — after adding more than 4 million in the past day.

That’s more followers on the platform than any of the MLB, NBA, NFL or NHL teams, according to Front Office Sports.

Messi himself has 469 million followers.