Media365
Inter Miami’s eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi continues to sit comfortably at the summit of Major League Soccer’s top earners, with a staggering $20.4 million in guaranteed annual salary, according to figures released by the MLS Players Association.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The 38-year-old Argentine superstar, who joined Inter Miami in mid-2023, earns nearly double the amount of his closest rival, Son Heung-min, who signed with Los Angeles FC earlier this year. Messi’s earnings do not include his vast array of sponsorships and commercial deals — part of the lucrative package that lured him from Paris Saint-Germain to the United States. His current contract runs until December, after which he is expected to begin a three-year extension with Inter Miami.Messi, who recently wrapped up another sensational campaign as the top scorer of the regular MLS season with 29 goals in 28 matches, remains the favourite to claim the league’s Most Valuable Player award once again.Newcomer Son Heung-min ranks second with an $11.1 million annual salary, following his record-breaking $26 million transfer from Tottenham Hotspur to LAFC in August. The South Korean captain has made an instant impact, scoring nine goals in his first ten matches as LAFC head into the playoffs.Rounding out the top five are Sergio Busquets ($8.7 million), who plans to retire at season’s end, Miguel Almirón ($7.8 million) of Atlanta United, and Hirving “Chucky” Lozano ($7.6 million) of San Diego FC — all headline names underscoring MLS’s growing financial muscle and global appeal.
Top 5 MLS salaries (2025)
- 1 Lionel Messi – $20.4M
- 2 Son Heung-min – $11.1M
- 3 Sergio Busquets – $8.7M
- 4 Miguel Almirón – $7.8M
- 5 Hirving Lozano – $7.6M
