Lionel Messi has more than doubled his salary in his new contract with Inter Miami, earning $25 million (£18.5 million) in base salary and over $28 million in guaranteed compensation, according to the Major League Soccer Players Association's first salary release of 2026. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner now earns more than twice as much as the second-highest-paid player in the league, Los Angeles FC's Son Heung Min.
Messi's Dominance in MLS Earnings
Messi's guaranteed compensation is more than the entire payrolls of 28 of the other 29 MLS teams. Inter Miami's total payroll of $54.6 million (£40.4 million) is over $20 million higher than LAFC's second-place $32.7 million and nearly five times the league-low $11.7 million of Philadelphia. Miami's payroll has increased from $46.8 million at the start of last season.
Total league compensation reached $631 million, with an average guaranteed compensation of $688,816 as of April 16, up nearly nine percent from October. Messi signed a new three-year contract through the 2028 season in October before leading Inter Miami to its first MLS title.
On-Field Performance
The Argentina captain has scored 59 goals in 64 regular-season games for Miami, including nine in 11 matches this season. He topped the MLS scoring charts with 29 goals last season and won his second consecutive MVP award. His salary figures include marketing bonuses and agent fees but do not account for additional agreements with the team or performance bonuses.
Top Earners Behind Messi
Son Heung Min is second with a base salary of $10,368,750 and total compensation of $11.2 million, unchanged from last season. The 33-year-old winger joined LAFC from Tottenham Hotspur last August. Other high earners include former Newcastle playmaker Miguel Almiron ($7.9 million) and Vancouver Whitecaps' Thomas Muller ($5.15 million), who left Bayern Munich last summer.
Cincinnati centre-back Miles Robinson, with a salary of $3.95 million, is the top earner among likely inclusions in Mauricio Pochettino's United States squad for the 2026 World Cup.
