NEW YORK (AP) — Lionel Messi more than doubles his annual salary to $25 million in a new contract with Inter Miami, making him more than twice as much as Major League Soccer’s second-highest-paid player, Los Angeles FC’s Son Heung-min.
Messi’s new contract includes a base salary of $25 million and guaranteed compensation of $28,333,333, the MLS Players Association announced Tuesday in the first announcement of his 2026 salary. He makes more than the salary of 28 of the other 29 teams in MLS.
Miami’s $54.6 million salary is more than $20 million higher than second-place LAFC’s $32.7 million and nearly five times Philadelphia’s league-low salary of $11.7 million. Miami salary is $46.8 million at the start of last season.
Toronto reduced payroll costs for the beginning of 2025 from $34.1 million to $21.4 million, while LAFC increased spending from $22.4 million to $32.7 million.
Total league compensation is $631 million, with average guaranteed compensation of $688,816 as of April 16, an 8.9% increase from $632,809 as of October 1 of last year.
Messi’s first MLS contract, Agreement in July 2023includes a base salary of $12 million and annualized guaranteed compensation of $20,446,667. Messi agreed to a three-year contract in October last year. He will lead the team through the 2028 season. First MLS title.
Attacker Messi, who turns 39 next month, is captain of defending World Cup champions Argentina and is expected to play in his sixth World Cup. Messi has scored 59 goals in 64 regular season games with Miami, including nine goals in 11 games this season. he Leads MLS with 29 goals in the regular season with last season Won MVP for 2 consecutive years award.
His salary figure is from his MLS contract and also includes marketing bonuses and agent fees, but does not take into account any additional contracts or performance bonuses with the team or its affiliates.
Son is second with a base salary of $10,368,750 and total compensation of $11,152,852, the same numbers as last season. The 33-year-old winger joined Los Angeles last August.
MF Rodrigo de Paul Signed with Miami last summerHe ranks third with an annual salary of $7,569,000 and total compensation of $9,688,320, followed by Atlanta winger Miguel Almiron ($6,056,000, $7,871,000), San Diego winger Irving Lozano ($6,000,000, $9,333,333), and New York Red Bulls winger Emil Forsberg. ($5,405,000, $6,035,625), Nashville forward Sam Surridge ($5.27 million, $5,933,000), LA Galaxy midfielder Riqui Puig ($5,125,000) , $5,792,188), Vancouver attacker Thomas Muller ($5,000,004, $5,152,504) and Chicago winger Jonathan Bamba ($5 million, $5,581,806).
With a base salary of $3.5 million and total compensation of $3.95 million, Cincinnati defender Myles Robinson is the top MLS player competing for a U.S. World Cup spot, followed by New England goaltender Matt Turner ($1,776,136, $1,942,886) and Seattle midfielder Cristian Roldan ($1,645,000, $1,942,886). ($1,766,000), Charlotte midfielder Tim Ream ($1 million, $1,127,750), Columbus goalkeeper Patrick Schulte ($900,000, $1,03 ($2,083), Columbus left back/winger Max Alfsten ($800,000, $895,000), and New York City goalkeeper Matt Freese ($675,000). $0, $795,833), Cincinnati goaltender Roman Celentano ($525,000, $574,000), and Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna ($450,000). $500,833), Vancouver midfielder Sebastian Berhalter ($480,000), and Chicago goaltender Chris Brady ($250,000, $348,333).
New players in the league include Toronto forward Josh Sargent ($3.21 million, $5,265,667), San Jose forward Timo Werner ($3,738,872, $4,268,039), Salt Lake winger Morgan Giravogi ($2.2 million, $2,225,500) and Houston forward Guilherme. ($1,528,572, $1,925,230), LAFC midfielder Steven Eustaquio ($1.8 million), DC forward Luis Munteanu ($1.19 million, $1,634,100), and Minnesota midfielder James Rodriguez ($684,000).
MLS median annual salary (points earned by the same number of players above and below) increased 4.1% to $352,104 from $338,347 last fall. There are 133 players making more than $1 million, up from 131 at the beginning of last season and 91 at the beginning of 2022.
___
AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
