Lionel Messi’s epochal $20. 45 million dollars a year from Inter Miami has now become a new standard in Major League Soccer (MLS), which is much more than any other league’s total payroll. According to the MLS Players Association’s data, Messi’s earnings that add up to $12M salary plus benefits vastly outstrip what other players make.
Lionel Messi’s salary not only make him the top-earning player in MLS’ history but also reflect the vast pay gaps in the league. First, Lionel Messi the Argentine superstar worth more than one team payroll and he has won eight Ballon d’Ors. Such as the champions of the Columbus Crew, who have a combined cost of $15. 19 million, and that places them 21st in the league table.
Lionel Messi’s chart also excludes commercial deals, endorsements, and sponsorships with big brands such as Adidas and Apple. The Barcelona deal offered him a deal of up to 138 million euros per season which included the salary and add-ons. Gare Messi’s period with Paris Saint-Germain comes next where he reportedly earned between 30-35 million euros annually. In July 2023, he sign a deal with inter Miami that will run until the end of the 2025 season.
Toronto’s Lorenzo Insigne, whose $16.3 million guaranteed income was previously the highest in the MLS, is now ranked second. 4 million. The compatriot of Messi in Inter Miami, Sergio Busquets, earns a salary of $8. Approximately a tenth of the league’s revenue makes him the third best earner. Still to note is Luís Suárez and Jordi Alba who have salaries of $1. 5 million per year.
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Even though Messi receives the highest reported salary among the MLS players in 2024 of $594,390, MLS’s average salary in 2024 is $594,390, which is an increase of 12