05/12/26 02:20:00
Printable Page
05/12 14:18 CDT Messi doubles MLS base salary, his $28 million total
compensation more than twice any other player
Messi doubles MLS base salary, his $28 million total compensation more than
twice any other player
By RONALD BLUM
AP Sports Writer
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. He earns more than the payrolls of 28 of the other 29
MLS teams.
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 led MLS with 29 regular-season goals last season and won his second
straight MVP 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 Rodrigo de Paul, who signed with Miami last summer, is third at
$7,569,000 in salary and $9,688,320 in total compensation, followed by Atlanta
winger Miguel Almirn ($6,056,000, $7,871,000), San Diego winger Hirving Lozano
($6 million, $9,333,333), New York Red Bulls winger Emil Forsberg ($5,405,000,
$6,035,625), Nashville forward Sam Surridge ($5.27 million, $5,933,000), LA
Galaxy midfielder Riqui Puig ($5,125,000, $5,792,188), Vancouver attacker
Thomas Mller ($5,000,004, $5,152,504) and Chicago winger Jonathan Bamba ($5
million, $5,581,806).
Cincinnati defender Miles Robinson 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 Matt Turner
($1,776,136, $1,942,886), Seattle midfielder Cristian Roldan ($1,645,000,
$1,766,000), Charlotte midfielder Tim Ream ($1 million, $1,127,750), Columbus
goalkeeper Patrick Schulte ($900,000, $1,032,083), Columbus left back/winger
Max Arfsten ($800,000, $895,000), New York City goalkeeper Matt Freese
($675,000, $795,833), Cincinnati goalkeeper Roman Celentano ($525,000,
$574,000), Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna ($450,000, $500,833), Vancouver
midfielder Sebastian Berhalter ($480,000) and Chicago goalkeeper Chris Brady
($250,000, $348,333).
Newcomers to the league include Toronto forward Josh Sargent ($3.21 million,
$5,265,667), San Jose forward Timo Werner ($3,738,872, $4,268,039), Salt Lake
winger Morgan Guilavogui ($2.2 million, $2,225,500), Houston forward Guilherme
($1,528,572, $1,925,230), LAFC midfielder Stephen Eustquio ($1.8 million),
D.C. forward Louis Munteanu ($1.19 million, $1,634,100) and Minnesota
midfielder James Rodrguez ($684,000).
MLS's median salary --- the point an equal number of players earned above and
below --- rose 4.1% to $352,104 from $338,347 last fall. There were 133 players
earning $1 million or more, up from 131 at the start of last season and 91 at
the start of 2022.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
|
