Lionel Messi has continued to top the salary chart in Major League Soccer after agreeing to a lucrative contract extension with Inter Miami CF.
Figures released by the MLS Players Association on Wednesday showed that the Argentina captain now earns an annual base salary of $25 million (£18.5 million), more than twice the salary of any other player in the league.
Messi’s total guaranteed compensation is estimated at $28.3 million (£20.9 million).
The 38-year-old signed the extension with Inter Miami in October, further strengthening his influence on Major League Soccer since moving to the United States in 2023.
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Former Tottenham Hotspur FC forward Son Heung-min is ranked as the league’s second-highest-paid player with a base salary of £11.2 million (£8.3 million).
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Rodrigo De Paul and Hirving Lozano are also among the top earners in Major League Soccer.
The salary figures released do not include earnings from endorsement deals or Messi’s option to acquire a stake in Inter Miami, the club co-owned by David Beckham.
Since joining the Florida-based side, Messi has helped raise the global profile of Major League Soccer.
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He has scored 59 goals in 64 regular-season appearances and played a key role in helping Inter Miami win the MLS Cup in 2025.
Messi also finished as the league’s leading scorer last season with 29 goals and has continued to dominate the competition through his performances and commercial influence.
