Lionel Messi is receiving even more on his second MLS contract, as unveiled in the MLS Players Association’s latest drop of player salary information. The union drops offer a fascinating lens into MLS squad construction, a chance to play sporting director and give pass/fail verdicts on roster construction across the 30-team circuit.
The Argentinian – whose take-home figure does not include additional amounts earned via Apple streaming subscriptions or jersey sales through Adidas and Fanatics – remains far and away MLS’s top earner, receiving $28.3m in his fourth season with Inter Miami. Son Heung-min ranks second, with Los Angeles FC paying the Tottenham icon $11.2m, while Rodrigo De Paul joins Messi on the podium not as his bodyguard but as the earner of a $9.7m income.
