Author: Amrit Santlani
Lionel Messi is the highest paid player in Major League Soccer (MLS), but his teammates at Inter Miami, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, are not in the top ten. The MLS Players Association has revealed the salary of the league’s highest paid player. Messi had joined Inter Miami and currently receives a base salary of US$12 million, plus US$20.4 million in guaranteed add-ons.
The Argentine’s lucrative deal will see him get a share of Adidas, as well as the MLS season pass from Apple TV. With all earnings combined, Messi’s salary could reach a figure of between US$50 million and US$60 million a year, according to a report in the LA Times.
According to figures revealed by the MLS Players Association, Messi is followed by the likes of Toronto FC’s Lorenzo Insigne, while Chicago Fire’s Xherdan Shaqiri is the next highest paid player in the league.
Messi’s former Barcelona teammates and current Miami players, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, are not among the ten highest paid players in the league. The salary of the two Spaniards seems derisory compared to that of their Argentinian teammate.
Busquets receives US$1.5 million as a basic salary, with US$1.775 million in bonuses, while Alba receives US$1 million as a basic salary and US$1.25 million as guaranteed compensation.
Javier Hernandez of LA Galaxy and Federico Bernadeschi of Toronto are the five highest paid players in the MLS. Austin FC’s Sebastian Driussi, Houston Dynamo’s Hector Herrera, LA Galaxy’s Douglas Costa and DC United’s Christian Benteke are also in the top ten, while Messi’s Miami teammate Josef Martinez completes the list.
Martinez receives a base salary of US$4 million, in addition to a guaranteed indemnity of US$4.3 million.
Gerardo Tata Martino’s Miami have been ruled out of contention for the MLS playoffs this season, and Messi is also injured. The Argentinian is doubtful for the next game against Charlotte on Thursday. The 36-year-old is expected to take a month off before returning for pre-season ahead of the start of the next campaign in February 2024.