Messi doubles MLS base salary, his $28 million total compensation more than twice any other player

Q: What is Lionel Messi's new salary with Inter Miami?

Lionel Messi's new contract includes a base salary of $25 million and total guaranteed compensation of $28,333,333.

Q: How does Messi's salary compare to other MLS players?

Messi earns more than twice as much as the second-highest-paid player, Son Heung-min, who has a total compensation of $11,152,852.

Q: What was Messi's salary before the new contract?

Before the new contract, Messi had a base salary of $12 million and annualized guaranteed compensation of $20,446,667.

Q: What is Inter Miami's total payroll compared to other MLS teams?

Inter Miami's payroll is $54.6 million, significantly higher than LAFC's $32.7 million and nearly five times Philadelphia's league-low $11.7 million.

NEW YORK (AP) — Lionel Messi more than doubled his salary to $25 million in his new contract with Inter Miami and earns more more than twice as much as the second-highest-paid player in Major League Soccer, Los Angeles FC's Son Heung-min. Messi’s new contract includes $25 million in base salary and $28,333,333 in guaranteed compensation, the MLS Players Association said Tuesday in its first release of 2026 salaries. Miami's $54.6 million payroll is more than $20 million higher than LAFC, which is second at $32.7 million, and nearly five times as much as Philadelphia's league-low $11.7 million. Miami's payroll is up from $46.8 million at the start of last season. Toronto cut payroll to $21.4 million from $34.1 million at the start of 2025, and LAFC boosted its spending to $32.7 million from $22.4 million. Total league compensation was $631 million and the average guaranteed compensation of $688,816 on April 16 was up 8.9% from $632,809 as of last Oct. 1. Messi's initial MLS contract, agreed to in July 2023, included a $12 million base salary and annualized guaranteed compensation of $20,446,667. Messi agreed last October to a three-year contract through the 2028 season, then led the team to its first MLS title. An attacker who turns 39 next month, Messi is captain of defending World Cup champion Argentina and is expected to play in his sixth World Cup. Messi has 59 goals in 64 regular-season games with Miami, including nine in 11 matches this season. He last season and award. His salary figures are for his MLS contract and include any marketing bonus and agent’s fees but do not account for any additional agreements with the team or its affiliates, or for any performance bonuses. Son is second at $10,368,750 in base salary and $11,152,852 in total compensation, the same as his figures last season. The 33-year-old winger joined LA last August. Midfielder , who , is third at $7,569,000 in salary and $9,688,320 in total compensation, followed by Atlanta winger Miguel Almirón ($6,056,000, $7,871,000), winger ($6 million, $9,333,333), winger ($5,405,000, $6,035,625), Nashville forward ($5.27 million, $5,933,000), midfielder ($5,125,000, $5,792,188), Vancouver attacker Thomas Müller ($5,000,004, $5,152,504) and Chicago winger ($5 million, $5,581,806). Cincinnati defender topped MLS players in contention for spots on the U.S. World Cup roster at $3.5 million in base salary and $3.95 million in total compensation, followed by New England goalkeeper ($1,776,136, $1,942,886), Seattle midfielder ($1,645,000, $1,766,000), Charlotte midfielder ($1 million, $1,127,750), Columbus goalkeeper ($900,000, $1,032,083), Columbus left back/winger Max Arfsten ($800,000, $895,000), New York City goalkeeper ($675,000, $795,833), Cincinnati goalkeeper ($525,000, $574,000), Salt Lake midfielder ($450,000, $500,833), Vancouver midfielder ($480,000) and Chicago goalkeeper ($250,000, $348,333). Newcomers to the league include Toronto forward ($3.21 million, $5,265,667), San Jose forward ($3,738,872, $4,268,039), Salt Lake winger ($2.2 million, $2,225,500), Houston forward Guilherme ($1,528,572, $1,925,230), LAFC midfielder Stephen Eustáquio ($1.8 million), D.C. forward ($1.19 million, $1,634,100) and Minnesota midfielder ($684,000). \\_ AP soccer:

Messi doubles MLS base salary, his $28 million total compensation more than twice any other player

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