Meet the five highest paid MLS players and their blockbuster contracts

Major League Soccer has seen player salaries rise in recent years as more global stars join teams across the United States. Several well known players from Europe and other top leagues are now signing big contracts with MLS clubs. As MLS continues to grow, the contracts of its highest paid players offer a clear look at how the league is changing and becoming more competitive in world soccer.

MLS salaries have become a major talking point as more global stars arrive in the United States. Players who once dominated European leagues are now signing high value deals with MLS clubs. Here is a closer look at the five highest paid players in MLS and the contracts that place them among the league’s biggest earners.

Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi remains the highest paid player in Major League Soccer. The Inter Miami superstar earns about $20.4 million in guaranteed compensation according to MLS salary data. Messi signed a contract extension with Inter Miami on October 23, 2025 that runs through the 2028 season. The deal is widely expected to be the final contract of his professional career.

His agreement goes far beyond a typical MLS salary. Messi earns roughly $12 million in base salary along with bonuses and revenue sharing agreements with Apple and Adidas. Reports suggest his total annual earnings could reach between $70 million and $80 million.

Son Heung-min

Son Heung-min joined Los Angeles FC in August 2025 on a Designated Player contract that runs through the 2027 season with club options for 2028 and 2029. The South Korean star earns around $11.15 million per year, making him the second highest paid player in MLS. Son arrived from Tottenham in a transfer that quickly became one of the most talked about moves in the league. His signing strengthened LAFC’s global profile and brought one of Asia’s most popular soccer stars to MLS.

Sergio Busquets

Veteran midfielder Sergio Busquets signed a two and a half year contract with Inter Miami in July 2023 that ran through the end of the 2025 MLS season. During his final season in the league he earned about $8.77 million in guaranteed compensation. Busquets played an important role in Inter Miami’s midfield alongside Messi before announcing that he would retire from professional soccer following the 2025 season.

Miguel Almirón

Miguel Almirón returned to Atlanta United in January 2025 on a Designated Player contract running through 2027 with a club option for 2028. The Paraguay international rejoined the club from Newcastle United for a reported transfer fee of around $10 million. His return excited Atlanta supporters who remembered his key role in the club’s 2018 MLS Cup winning season. Almirón earns about $7.87 million in annual guaranteed compensation.

Hirving Lozano

Hirving “Chucky” Lozano signed a four year Designated Player contract with San Diego FC that runs through the 2028 season. The Mexican international began his deal with the expansion club on January 1, 2025 and earns more than $7.63 million in annual guaranteed compensation. His salary places him among the highest paid players in MLS as the new San Diego franchise builds its squad and identity in the league.

These five are the biggest earners in Major League Soccer right now. Their contracts show how much MLS teams are investing in top talent. As more global stars arrive, the league’s salaries continue to grow.



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