Messi Remains Highest-Paid Player in MLS After Contract Extension

Lionel Messi continues to top the Major League Soccer salary chart following a lucrative contract extension with Inter Miami CF.

According to figures from the MLS Players Association, the 38-year-old Argentina captain now earns an annual base salary of $25 million, with total guaranteed compensation reaching $28.3 million. That figure is more than double the earnings of any other player in the league

Messi signed the extension with the Florida-based club in October, further solidifying his status as the face of MLS since his arrival in the United States in 2023.

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-min ranks as the league’s second-highest earner with a base salary of $11.2 million. Rodrigo De Paul and Hirving Lozano complete the list of top earners.

The released salary figures do not include income from endorsements or Messi’s option to acquire a stake in Inter Miami, the club co-owned by David Beckham.

Since joining Inter Miami, Messi has transformed the league’s global profile. He has recorded 59 goals in 64 regular-season appearances and helped the club lift the MLS Cup in 2025. He also finished as the league’s top scorer last season with 29 goals and continues to dominate with both his performances and commercial impact.