(Lionel Messi. Photo by NBC News)
Lionel Messi continues to sit comfortably at the top of the MLS pay scale following a new contract extension with Inter Miami CF.
Data released by the MLS Players Association shows that the Argentine captain takes home a base salary of $25 million per year, which is more than twice what any other player in the league earns.
His total guaranteed earnings are reported to reach around $28.3 million annually.
Messi, now 38, agreed to the extension back in October, further solidifying his position as the biggest name in American soccer since he made the move to the United States in 2023.
In second place on the salary list is former Tottenham winger Son Heung-min, earning a base of $11.2 million, with Rodrigo De Paul and Hirving Lozano also featuring among the league’s top earners.
It is worth noting that the published figures do not cover Messi’s endorsement income or his option to acquire an ownership stake in Inter Miami, the club partly owned by David Beckham.
Since arriving in Florida, Messi has had a transformative effect on the league’s international standing.
On the pitch, he has been equally impressive, scoring 59 goals in 64 regular-season games, claiming the golden boot last season with 29 goals, and playing a central role in Inter Miami’s MLS Cup triumph in 2025.