César Montes has quietly become one of the most well-traveled Mexican defenders in modern football.
From Liga MX standout to La Liga regular to his current stint in the Russian Premier League, the centre-back has built a serious professional career — and a growing bank balance to go with it.
In this article, you’ll find everything about César Montes’s net worth, his salary, his contract, and what has driven his financial growth over the past decade.
César Montes’ Biography
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | César Jasib Montes Castro |
| Date of Birth | February 24, 1997 |
| Age | 29 years old |
| Birthplace | Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico |
| Nationality | Mexican |
| Height | 195 cm (6’5″) |
| Position | Centre-Back |
| Current Club | Lokomotiv Moscow (Russian Premier League) |
| Turned Professional | 2015 (CF Monterrey) |
| Net Worth | ~$3 million (estimated) |
| Annual Salary | ~€1.2 million (estimated) |
| Contract Expires | June 30, 2029 |
| Shirt Number | 23 |
| @cjasib |
Early Life & Career
César Jasib Montes Castro was born on February 24, 1997, in Hermosillo, the capital city of Sonora, Mexico.
Growing up in a football-loving family — his father shares the same name, César Montes — he found an early passion for the game and began his youth career with Pob.
Miguel Alemán FC. It was during a youth league playoff match against Monterrey that he first caught the eye of the club’s scouts, prompting them to bring him into their academy system.
His rise through Monterrey’s youth ranks was steady and purposeful. He developed the traits that would later define him as a professional: aerial dominance, precise long-range passing, and a reading of the game that belied his young age.
By 2015, at just 18 years old, he was ready for senior football. His debut came on July 29, 2015, in the Apertura Copa MX against Correcaminos UAT, a match Monterrey won 3–1.
Even before his official debut, Montes had already etched his name into Mexican football history.
On August 2, 2015, he scored the very first-ever goal at the newly built Estadio BBVA Bancomer during an inauguration match against Portugal’s Benfica — a 3–0 Monterrey win. That early landmark set the tone for a career marked by big moments.
Professional Career
Montes spent seven full seasons with CF Monterrey in Liga MX, establishing himself as one of the best centre-backs in CONCACAF.
He helped Rayados win the Liga MX title in Apertura 2019, two Copa MX titles (2017 and 2019–20), and back-to-back CONCACAF Champions League crowns in 2019 and 2021.
At the end of the Clausura 2016, he was named to the Liga MX Best XI and later won the Liga MX Best Rookie award for the 2015–16 season.
In December 2022, Montes became only the second Mexican player to move to Europe’s top tier following the 2022 FIFA World Cup when he joined RCD Espanyol on a contract until 2028, with a reported transfer fee of approximately €7–8 million.
He made his La Liga debut on January 7, 2023, in a 2–2 draw against Girona. When Espanyol were relegated at the end of that season, Montes requested a transfer and moved to UD Almería for a reported €14 million — a club-record fee for Almería at the time.
After Almería’s own relegation to the Segunda División, Montes made a bold career move. On September 12, 2024, he signed a five-year deal with Lokomotiv Moscow in the Russian Premier League.
The transfer fee was reported at €6 million. In the 2025–26 season, he has continued to perform well, scoring 3 goals in 21 league appearances and earning a FotMob average rating of 7.41.
On the international stage, Montes has earned 63 caps for Mexico and scored 4 goals. He played at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and won three CONCACAF Gold Cups (2019, 2023, 2025).
His performance at the 2025 Gold Cup, where he scored three goals and was named to the tournament’s Best XI, was perhaps the standout moment of his international career.
César Montes’ Net Worth Details
As of 2026, César Montes’ has an estimated net worth of $3 million.
He built this wealth through nearly a decade of professional contracts across Mexico, Spain, and Russia, combined with fees generated by multiple high-profile transfers worth a combined €25+ million over his career.
Contract
Montes signed a five-year contract with Lokomotiv Moscow on September 12, 2024, keeping him at the Russian Premier League club through June 30, 2029.
Lokomotiv paid UD Almería a reported transfer fee of €6 million to secure his services.
At the time of signing, his market value was estimated at between €4.4 million and €7 million by major valuation platforms.
That long-term deal gives him financial stability well into his early 30s and places him among the club’s key foreign assets.
Salary
According to reports from Goal.com, Montes earned approximately €700,000 per year during his time at Espanyol, making him one of the better-paid foreign players at the club.
At UD Almería — where he was the most expensive signing in the club’s history — his annual wage is estimated to have been in a similar or slightly higher bracket.
At Lokomotiv Moscow, Football Manager 2026 data based on verified public reports estimates his weekly wage at approximately £22,000 per week, placing his annual gross earnings at roughly €1.2 million.
Russian Premier League clubs are known to offer competitive salaries to attract top international talent, and Lokomotiv’s total squad wage bill for 2024–25 exceeded €18.8 million, suggesting senior foreign players like Montes command strong packages.
Career Earnings By Year
| Club | Period | Estimated Annual Salary (USD) | Estimated Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| CF Monterrey | 2015–2022 | ~$150K–$400K | ~$2.0M |
| Espanyol | Jan–Jul 2023 | ~$800K/year | ~$400K |
| UD Almería | 2023–2024 | ~$1.1M/year | ~$1.1M |
| Lokomotiv Moscow | 2024–present | ~$1.3M/year | ~$2.0M+ |
Career Statistics
| Club | Season | League Apps | League Goals | Total Apps | Total Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monterrey | 2015–16 | 33 | 1 | 37 | 2 |
| Monterrey | 2016–17 | 33 | 4 | 41 | 5 |
| Monterrey | 2017–18 | 27 | 0 | 37 | 0 |
| Monterrey | 2018–19 | 25 | 2 | 33 | 2 |
| Monterrey | 2019–20 | 24 | 1 | 36 | 2 |
| Monterrey | 2020–21 | 30 | 0 | 36 | 0 |
| Monterrey | 2021–22 | 28 | 1 | 29 | 2 |
| Monterrey | 2022–23 | 16 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Monterrey Total | 216 | 9 | 265 | 13 | |
| Espanyol | 2022–23 | 20 | 3 | 22 | 3 |
| Almería | 2023–24 | 21 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Almería | 2024–25 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Almería Total | 22 | 0 | 22 | 0 | |
| Lokomotiv Moscow | 2024–25 | 16 | 0 | 20 | 2 |
| Lokomotiv Moscow | 2025–26 | 21 | 3 | 24 | 3 |
| Lokomotiv Total | 37 | 3 | 44 | 5 | |
| Career Total | 295 | 15 | 353 | 21 |
International Career
| National Team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 2017 | 5 | 0 |
| Mexico | 2019 | 4 | 0 |
| Mexico | 2020 | 2 | 0 |
| Mexico | 2021 | 7 | 1 |
| Mexico | 2022 | 15 | 0 |
| Mexico | 2023 | 9 | 0 |
| Mexico | 2024 | 9 | 0 |
| Mexico | 2025 | 12 | 3 |
| Total | 63 | 4 |
FAQs
What is César Montes’s net worth?
César Montes’s estimated net worth is approximately $3 million. He accumulated this through his professional contracts at Monterrey, Espanyol, Almería, and Lokomotiv Moscow.
How much does César Montes earn at Lokomotiv Moscow?
Montes earns approximately £22,000 per week at Lokomotiv Moscow, which amounts to roughly €1.2 million per year.
When does César Montes’s contract with Lokomotiv Moscow expire?
His contract with Lokomotiv Moscow runs until June 30, 2029. He signed the five-year deal in September 2024 after leaving UD Almería.
How many international caps does César Montes have?
Montes has earned 63 caps for the Mexico national team and scored 4 goals, as of November 2025. He has represented Mexico at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and three CONCACAF Gold Cups.
What trophies has César Montes won in his career?
He has won the Liga MX title (Apertura 2019), two Copa MX titles, two CONCACAF Champions League titles, three CONCACAF Gold Cups (2019, 2023, 2025), one CONCACAF Nations League (2024–25), and an Olympic Bronze Medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
