Messi highest-paid in MLS as Miami sets record
Alejandro Moreno breaks down how Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami side were able to beat Porto in the Club World Cup. (2:33)
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi is Major League Soccer's highest-paid player for the second year running, with a total guaranteed compensation of $20.45 million, according to data released by the MLS Players Association.
As in previous years, the amount reflects just the playing portion of Messi's compensation, with the Argentina star also set to benefit from other revenue streams such as his endorsement deal with Adidas and a revenue-sharing agreement with league broadcast partner Apple.
According to Sportico, Messi stands to earn up to $150m over the life of the two-and-a-half year contract he signed with Miami and MLS back in the summer of 2023.
Toronto FC forward Lorenzo Insigne ranked second with a guaranteed compensation of $15.44m, followed by Messi's Inter Miami teammate Sergio Busquets at $8.5m. Atlanta United forward Miguel Almirón is in fourth position at $7.87m followed by San Diego FC forward Hirving "Chucky" Lozano at $7.63m.
The salary numbers from the MLSPA are as of May 25, 2025. The union typically does two salary releases per year. Two years ago, just months before Messi's arrival, Insigne was the league's highest-paid player.
Miami continued to tower over the rest of the league in terms of total guaranteed compensation per team.
The Herons checked in at $46.84m which is $5m more than the league record they set at this time a year ago. The amount is also more than double that of all but two other teams. Toronto's outlay is $34.15m followed by Atlanta United FC at $27.63m, FC Cincinnati at $23.18m, and the reigning MLS Cup champions LA Galaxy at $22.87m.
CF Montréal are the league's lowest spenders at $11.99m, followed by the Philadelphia Union ($13.37m), Real Salt Lake ($13.413m), the Houston Dynamo ($13.414m) and Minnesota United ($13.80m)
The average guaranteed compensation for the entire player pool is $649,199, up 9.22% from the spring, 2024 mark of $594,390. The median salary kept pace however, rising 10.1% from $308,750 this time a year ago to $339,876 now. All told, 131 players have a guaranteed compensation of at least $1m, compared to 115 a year ago.
MLS and the MLSPA are in the fifth year of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that was agreed upon in February of 2021. The current CBA runs through the end of the 2027 season.
Here is the total guaranteed compensation per team.
1. Inter Miami - $46.84m 2. Toronto FC - $34.15m 3. Atlanta United - $27.63m 4. FC Cincinnati - $23.18m 5. LA Galaxy - $22.87m
6. LAFC - $22.37m
7. Chicago Fire - $22.05m8. Nashville SC - $21.75m
9. New York Red Bulls - $21.54m 10. San Diego FC - $20.03m11. Portland Timbers - $19.57m
12. FC Dallas - $18.98m 13. St. Louis City - $18.11m 14. Seattle Sounders - $18.09m15. Sporting Kansas City - $17.72m
16. New England Revolution - $17.19m 17. San Jose Earthquakes - $17.19m 18. Charlotte FC - $17.13m 19. Orlando City - $16.44m20. Columbus Crew - $16.36m
21. Vancouver Whitecaps - $15.71m 22. Colorado Rapids - $15.48m 23. Austin FC - $15.33m 24. New York City FC - $14.96m 25. D.C. United - $14.62m 26. Minnesota United - $13.8m 27. Houston Dynamo - $13.41m 28. Real Salt Lake - $13.41m 29. Philadelphia Union - $13.37m30. CF Montreal - $11.99m
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