For the third consecutive year, Lionel Messi stands tall as the highest-paid player in Major League Soccer, commanding a staggering total annual compensation of $20,446,667. This figure, released by the MLS Players Association on June 25, 2025, eclipses the entire payroll budgets of 21 MLS teams, underscoring Messi's unparalleled stature in the league. His base salary sits at $12 million, but the total guaranteed compensation includes marketing bonuses and agent fees, though it does not account for other agreements or performance bonuses tied to his contract, which runs through the 2025 season.
Messi’s contract, signed in the summer of 2023, has been a game-changer for MLS. According to Sportico, the Argentine superstar could earn up to $150 million over the life of this two-and-a-half-year deal, factoring in endorsements and revenue-sharing deals beyond the playing portion. This salary release is the first of two annual disclosures by the MLS Players Association, reflecting numbers accurate through late May 2025.
Inter Miami, Messi’s club, boasts a record-breaking team payroll of $46.84 million as of May 23, 2025, an increase from $41.7 million at the end of last season. This payroll is more than double that of nearly every other team except Toronto FC and Atlanta United. Toronto holds the second-highest team payroll at $34.15 million, followed by Atlanta at $27.63 million. Other notable teams include FC Cincinnati at $23.18 million, reigning MLS Cup champions LA Galaxy at $22.87 million, Los Angeles FC at $22.37 million, and Chicago Fire at $22.05 million. Expansion side San Diego FC rounds out the top ten with a $20 million payroll. At the other end of the spectrum, CF Montréal has the league's lowest payroll at just under $12 million, with Philadelphia Union close behind at $13.37 million.
Beyond Messi, the league’s highest-paid players list is a who's who of MLS stars. Toronto FC’s winger Lorenzo Insigne ranks second with a guaranteed compensation of $15.44 million, while Messi’s Inter Miami teammate Sergio Busquets is third at approximately $8.77 million. Atlanta United’s Miguel Almirón follows closely, earning $7.87 million, with San Diego FC’s Hirving “Chucky” Lozano at $7.63 million. Toronto’s Federico Bernardeschi earns $6.3 million, New York Red Bulls’ Emil Forsberg $6.02 million, and Inter Miami’s Jordi Alba $6 million. LA Galaxy’s Riqui Puig and Chicago Fire’s Jonathan Bamba round out the top ten, earning $5.78 million and $5.58 million respectively. Nashville SC’s Hany Mukhtar is just outside the top ten with $5.31 million.
The league has seen growth in high earners, with eleven players now making $5 million or more, up from nine at the start of last season. Additionally, 50 players earn $2 million or higher, an increase from 44, and 131 players have guaranteed compensations of at least $1 million, up from 115 the previous year. The overall player compensation pool has swelled to $586 million, marking a 12.9% increase from $519 million at the start of 2024, a 27.4% rise from 2023, and an impressive 48.7% jump since 2022.
Newcomers making notable impacts on the salary charts include Atlanta forward Emmanuel Latte Lath, who commands over $4 million after arriving from Middlesbrough, Cincinnati forward Kévin Denkey at $3.81 million, Charlotte winger Wilfried Zaha at $2.75 million, and New York Red Bulls forward Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting at $3.53 million. LAFC’s Olivier Giroud and Portland Timbers’ David Da Costa earn $3.67 million and $3.43 million respectively.
Among U.S. national team players, Nashville defender Walker Zimmerman earns $3.46 million, Seattle Sounders winger Jordan Morris $2.26 million, and forward Jesús Ferreira $1.83 million. Colorado Rapids midfielder Djordje Mihailovic and Cincinnati defender Miles Robinson are compensated at $1.78 million and $1.65 million respectively. Other notable U.S. players include Seattle midfielder Cristian Roldán ($1.67 million), San Diego midfielder Luca de la Torre ($1.54 million), Charlotte defender Tim Ream ($1.13 million), Colorado goalkeeper Zack Steffen ($1 million), Cincinnati right-back DeAndre Yedlin ($948,750), and Colorado defender Reggie Cannon ($841,500).
Charlotte forward Patrick Agyemang, who has already netted three goals for the United States in the Concacaf Gold Cup, earns a modest $104,000. Other Gold Cup participants include Real Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna at $499,833, goalkeeper Matt Freese at $420,000, and defender Alex Freeman at $108,000.
The MLS Players Association’s salary release highlights the league’s growing financial muscle and its ability to attract and retain world-class talent. Messi’s towering salary and Inter Miami’s record payroll exemplify the escalating investment in MLS, signaling a bright future for the league’s competitiveness and global appeal. With the Collective Bargaining Agreement in its fifth year and running through 2027, both players and teams appear to be benefiting from steady growth and improved compensation structures.
As the 2025 season progresses, all eyes remain on Messi and his Inter Miami teammates to see if their on-field performances justify the hefty paychecks. Meanwhile, other teams continue to build competitive rosters within their own payroll frameworks, aiming to challenge Miami’s dominance both on the pitch and in the salary stakes.
