Lionel Messi retains status as highest-paid MLS player with £18.5m salary
Lionel Messi remains the highest-paid player in Major League Soccer after an October contract extension with Inter Miami guaranteed him an annual compensation of £20.9m.
Figures released by the MLS Players Association show the Argentina captain’s base salary currently sits at £18.5m.
This remarkable figure is more than double the earnings of the North American league’s second-highest paid player.
Son Heung-min trails in second place
Los Angeles FC forward Son Heung-min is the next highest earner with a base salary of £7.7m.
The former Tottenham star, 33, currently takes home slightly more than Inter Miami midfielder Rodrigo de Paul.
San Diego FC winger Hirving Lozano completes the top bracket of the division’s premium earners.
Commercial deals boost overall earnings
These official salary figures do not account for lucrative individual endorsement deals.
They also exclude the World Cup winner’s unique option to acquire a future ownership stake in the Florida franchise.
Inter Miami is notably co-owned by former Manchester United and England captain David Beckham.
A period of unprecedented dominance
The South American superstar joined the American league in 2023 and has since scored 59 goals in 64 regular-season appearances.
His prolific form helped the Herons secure the prestigious MLS Cup in 2025.
The veteran attacker led the division with 29 goals last season.
He was subsequently crowned the league’s Most Valuable Player for a second consecutive year.