Major League Soccer official statistics

Lionel Messi Tops MLS Salary List with $20.45 Million, Exceeds Payrolls of 25 Teams

May 16, 2024, 08:53 PM

Lionel Messi has been named the highest-paid player in Major League Soccer (MLS) according to the latest salary data released by the MLS Players Association. Messi's annualized pay of $20.45 million with Inter Miami exceeds the total payrolls of 25 out of 29 MLS teams. Inter Miami's overall salary outlay stands at $41.68 million, which is more than double that of all but three other teams in the league. In just two seasons, Messi has out-earned all but three players in MLS history. Additionally, Emil Forsberg of the New York Red Bulls has entered the top 10 MLS earners with a salary of $6 million. Toronto FC's Lorenzo Insigne is the second highest-paid player in the league with a salary of $15.4 million.