Sorry, but what?! The first reason to start playing any sport is money?! Really now? This thinking has brought us to the point where we are and everything is sooooo beautiful! Money, money, and money, ffs...
No player in any sport is to blame for the money he gets or can get. The "teams" are companies (and one of the best and biggest "laundries"...) that see and treat them as assets and how they will bring them as much money as possible. There are very few cases of teams whose owners have watched the sport or even know it. They are not interested in this, they don't care in the slightest. If they profit from any transfer, renewal, etc they will do it no matter what it costs.
Huge players have passed from the football planet and such money they would not dare to ask for, nor even imagine. Yes, Messi is one of them without a doubt, but we must admit that the situation has gotten out of hand as far as the financial part is concerned. And IMO, that's not good at all.