Lionel Messi is now earning nearly $28.3 million annually with Inter Miami, a figure that puts him so far ahead of his competitors that only one other player in Major League Soccer cracks the eight-figure threshold. The latest salary data from the MLS Players Association reveals a wage structure shaped almost entirely by Messi's unprecedented dominance, with the gap between the top earner and the rest of the league yawning wider than ever.
Son Heung-min of Los Angeles FC sits in second place with $11.2 million in annual compensation, meaning Messi earns more than twice what the Tottenham star takes home. Rodrigo De Paul rounds out the top three at $9.7 million following his loan move to Miami from Atletico Madrid.
The salary figures underscore how lopsided MLS investment has become. Only one entire team roster costs more to operate than Messi's individual paycheck. Meanwhile, the league's two worst-performing teams by record have among its smallest payrolls: Sporting Kansas City sits at $12.4 million and Philadelphia Union at $11.7 million, suggesting that star power alone doesn't guarantee results.
San Diego FC faces a self-inflicted salary crisis with Hirving Lozano, the Mexican winger banished from the squad mid-season. The club sits 13th in the Western Conference but is committed to paying Lozano $9.3 million this year without any guarantee he will play. That amounts to nearly triple what his more productive teammate Anders Dreyer earns. The situation has frozen Lozano's exit, with the club's sporting director having publicly stated the player would not return, a negotiating blunder that hands interested suitors all the leverage.
New arrivals inject fresh talent into the league with varied compensation levels. Josh Sargent signed with Toronto FC for $5.3 million after time in Europe, while Timo Werner leads San Jose at $4.3 million. Facundo Torres goes to Austin at $4.4 million. Colombian playmaker James Rodriguez accepted a half-year deal with Minnesota at just $684,000 on an annualized basis, a distinctly team-friendly arrangement designed to ease him into MLS play.
Several established players saw their fortunes shift in the offseason. Paul Rothrock's fresh Seattle deal jumped his salary from $105,000 to $525,000. Cristian Espinoza landed at Nashville with $2.3 million in the first move toward MLS Cup contention. Robin Lod left Minnesota for Chicago at $866,667, a slight pay reduction. DC United bolstered its attack by signing Tai Baribo at $2.4 million and Louis Munteanu at $1.6 million.
The theoretical best team money could assemble from MLS rosters would cost $74.3 million annually. That tally rivals Premier League budgets and illustrates just how top-heavy spending has become in MLS. Miami's commitment to its three highest earners consumes 76.7% of wages, while Philadelphia demonstrates far more balanced spending at just 23.4% devoted to its top three.
Wage bill movements across the league reveal aggressive roster construction in some markets and retreat in others. San Jose led expansion with a 42.6% increase, followed by Toronto at 37.3% and Austin at 26.7%. Houston, Vancouver, LA Galaxy, and Columbus all bolstered budgets significantly. By contrast, Sporting Kansas City slashed spending by 29.8%, Portland dropped 17.6%, and several other clubs tightened payroll after big winter signings failed to deliver immediate impact.
The flip side of star talent shows youth and emerging contributors performing at bargain-basement rates. A theoretical budget XI featuring breakthrough players and utility depth could operate for just $2 million annually, with goalkeeper Brian Schwake at Nashville leading that group's highest earner among his peers. Veteran Maxi Moralez of New York City anchors that low-cost squad at $500,000, accepting reduced wages as he approaches 40.
Performance vs. salary tells another story entirely. Miles Robinson, Cincinnati's centerback, earns more than twice what any other defender makes except one, yet hasn't delivered value proportional to his $3.95 million contract. Roman Burki at St. Louis faces similar scrutiny, commanding the highest goalkeeper salary in the league at $2.75 million while producing well below his usual standard. Hirving Lozano anchors a separate group of underperformers, collecting $9.3 million for a seat on the bench.
Author James Rodriguez: "Messi's salary is so astronomical it's become meaningless for judging roster strategy elsewhere, but the real story is San Diego's Lozano blunder, paying nearly $10 million for a player they've publicly buried and have zero leverage to move."
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