Football legend Lionel Messi has once again secured his place as the highest paid player in Major League Soccer (MLS) after signing a new contract extension with Inter Miami CF. According to the latest salary figures released by the MLS Players Association, Messi now earns a massive $25 million annual base salary, keeping him comfortably ahead of every other player in the league.
The updated contract, signed in October, will keep the Argentine superstar at Inter Miami until the end of the 2028 season. Reports show that Messi’s salary has doubled under the new agreement, while his total guaranteed compensation has reached $28.3 million.
South Korean football icon Son Heung-min ranks second on the salary list after joining Los Angeles FC. Son reportedly earns a base salary of $10.36 million with guaranteed compensation of around $11.2 million. His transfer to MLS last year attracted major global attention and became one of the league’s biggest signings.
Messi’s teammate at both Inter Miami and the Argentina national team, Rodrigo De Paul, sits third with nearly $9.7 million in guaranteed earnings. Mexican forward Hirving Lozano follows closely despite not playing for San Diego since November.
The 38 year old Messi continues to dominate on the pitch as well. Since arriving in MLS in 2023, he has scored 59 goals in 64 league matches for Inter Miami. Last season, he led the league with 29 goals and won the MLS Most Valuable Player award for the second year in a row.
The MLS Players Association also revealed that total player compensation across the league has now crossed $631 million, showing the growing financial strength and popularity of soccer in the United States.
