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MLSPA Guide
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Lionel Messi remains the highest-paid player in Major League Soccer, according to the newly released MLSPA Salary Guide. Issued by the Major League Soccer Players Association, the guide includes the salaries of all players in MLS under contract since October 1, 2025. Inter Miami CF have three players in the top ten. First is Messi with an annual guaranteed compensation of $20.4 million (€17.5m). Sergio Busquets ranks third with an annual guaranteed compensation of $8.8m (€7.5m). Seventh in the ranking is Jordi Alba. The wing-back earns $6m (€5.1m) in guaranteed compensation.
Messi’s compensation, in particular, is fascinating. A recent Forbes report listed Messi as the second-best player in world football. According to that report, Messi, who has recently signed a new contract, ranks second in the world with an annual income of $130m (€111.6m). Of that, $60m (€51.5m) is earned through on-field activities. That’s a significant discrepancy between the guaranteed compensation reported by the MLSPA and that reported by Forbes.
Not surprisingly, Inter Miami are the club with the highest guaranteed compensation per season. Miami have paid $49m (€42m) in guaranteed compensation to their players in 2025. Second on the list are LAFC with an annual guaranteed compensation of $30.1m (€25.8m) in 2025. Although there is a salary cap, unlimited salaries for Designated Players, and other mechanisms, there is now a significant gap between the highest- and lowest-paying teams. In comparison, CF Montréal, who rank 30th, have spent just $13m (€11.2m) in annual guaranteed compensation.
New stars on the list – Son ranks 2nd, Müller’s true salary revealed
New on the list and second in the ranking overall is LAFC star Heung-Min Son. Signed for a club record €22m from Tottenham Hotspur, Son earns $11.2m (€9.6m) in guaranteed compensation in 2025. Of note, that salary is annualized over the term of the player's contract, including option years. In other words, Son will earn significantly less in 2025 than the reported guaranteed compensation.
The same is true for Vancouver Whitecaps star Thomas Müller. The German signed for the Whitecaps following Bayern Munich’s exit from the FIFA Club World Cup on a Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) deal in the summer. According to the MLSPA, Müller will earn a guaranteed annual salary of $1.4m (€1.2m). Like Son, though, the German will earn significantly less this season. Transfermarkt understands that the Whitecaps will pay the 2014 World Cup winner about $685,000 (€588,275) until the end of the season.
