In 2025, Lionel Messi firmly holds his position as Major League Soccer’s highest-paid player, with a guaranteed compensation of $20.45 million, though his total earnings significantly exceed this figure. The league’s latest salary releases reveal a dynamic financial environment, marked by an influx of international talent like Son Heung-Min, rising average player salaries, and Inter Miami CF solidifying its status as the top-spending club. This comprehensive breakdown offers a deep dive into the numbers, individual earnings, team expenditures, and what it all means for MLS’s evolving identity.
The Major League Soccer Players Association (MLSPA) has once again shone a spotlight on the financial backbone of the league with its biannual salary releases in 2025. Unsurprisingly, Inter Miami CF’s Lionel Messi remains at the pinnacle, leading the charts by a considerable margin. His financial package not only underscores his global superstar status but also highlights the significant investment the league is making in attracting top-tier talent.
As of the latest release on October 29, 2025, Messi’s guaranteed compensation stands at $20.45 million. This figure, while substantial, is merely the baseline. According to reports, his full earnings, bolstered by an MLS-related deal with Adidas and a cut of subscriptions to the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, could exceed $150 million over his two-and-a-half-year tenure with Inter Miami. This multifaceted compensation structure positions Messi as not just the highest-paid player, but a significant revenue driver for the entire league.
The Rise of New Global Stars: Son Heung-Min Joins the Eight-Figure Club
While Messi’s top spot was expected, the October 2025 salary release brought a notable change to the upper echelons of MLS pay. Son Heung-Min, the South Korean forward who made an immediate impact after his August move to LAFC from Tottenham Hotspur, has ascended to become the league’s second-highest-paid player. Son’s annualized pay includes a base salary of $10.37 million and guaranteed compensation of $11.15 million, placing him firmly in the exclusive “eight-figure club.”
Son’s arrival and subsequent rise in the salary rankings underscore MLS’s continued strategy of attracting established global stars. His impact on the field, with nine goals and three assists in just 10 regular-season matches, quickly justified the significant investment made by LAFC. He is expected to be a crucial player in the playoffs, further boosting his profile in the league, as reported by Yahoo Sports.
Son supplanted Toronto FC’s Lorenzo Insigne, who departed MLS in July 2025. Insigne’s previous contract had been valued at $7.5 million in base salary and $15.4 million overall, highlighting the substantial shift in the league’s top earners post-summer transfer window.
The Top 20 Highest-Paid MLS Players (October 2025)
The latest figures from the MLSPA reveal a dynamic list of top earners, showcasing a mix of established veterans and influential newcomers. This list, current as of October 29, 2025, details the guaranteed compensation for the league’s most financially valued players:
- Lionel Messi, Inter Miami: $20.45 million
- Son Heung-Min, LAFC: $11.15 million
- Sergio Busquets, Inter Miami: $8.77 million
- Miguel Almiron, Atlanta United: $7.87 million
- Hirving Lozano, San Diego FC: $7.63 million
- Emil Forsberg, New York Red Bulls: $6.04 million
- Jordi Alba, Inter Miami: $6 million
- Riqui Puig, LA Galaxy: $5.78 million
- Jonathan Bamba, Chicago Fire: $5.58 million
- Hany Mukhtar, Nashville SC: $5.31 million
- Christian Benteke, D.C. United: $4.94 million
- Alexey Miranchuk, Atlanta United: $4.89 million
- Evander, FC Cincinnati: $4.74 million
- Carles Gil, New England Revolution: $4.7 million
- Joseph Paintsil, LA Galaxy: $4.18 million
- Emmanuel Latte Lath, Atlanta United: $4.03 million
- Luis Muriel, Orlando City: $4 million
- Kevin Denkey, FC Cincinnati: $3.81 million
- Denis Bouanga, LAFC: $3.71 million
- Ryan Gauld, Vancouver Whitecaps: $3.68 million
It’s notable that two of Messi’s teammates, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, are set to retire in the winter, which will undoubtedly shift the top rankings further in the upcoming season.
Inter Miami’s Unprecedented Payroll and Team Spending Across the League
With Messi, Busquets, and Alba on their roster for much of 2025, Inter Miami CF predictably emerged as the league’s biggest spender. As of the May 2025 salary release, their total salary expenditure reached an astounding $46.84 million. This figure represents a $5 million increase from their own league record in 2024 and dwarfs the payrolls of nearly every other club in the 30-team league, sitting at more than double all but two clubs.
Following Inter Miami in team spending were Toronto FC ($34.15 million) and Atlanta United ($27.63 million). Other high-spending clubs included FC Cincinnati ($23.18 million) and the reigning MLS Cup champions LA Galaxy ($22.87 million). This top-heavy spending reflects a league dynamic where clubs with global appeal are willing to invest heavily in star power to boost both performance and marketability.
At the other end of the spectrum, some clubs maintain a more frugal approach. CF Montréal was the lowest spending team, with total salaries adding up to just $11.99 million. Other teams among the lowest spenders included the Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia Union ($13.37 million), Real Salt Lake ($13.41 million), and Minnesota United ($13.8 million). The wide gap between Miami’s star-studded squad and the operations at the bottom indicates a league still navigating its financial identity and competitive balance.
League-Wide Salary Growth: A Positive Trend for Players
Beyond the headline-grabbing figures of the top earners, the MLSPA’s releases also reveal significant positive trends for the average MLS player. The numbers, current as of May 2025, showed a league where the salary floor is consistently rising.
- The average guaranteed compensation jumped 9.22% to $649,199.
- The median guaranteed compensation climbed 10.1% to $339,876.
These increases are encouraging news for the players who form the backbone of MLS, indicating a healthier financial outlook for a broader range of athletes. A total of 131 players now earn at least $1 million guaranteed, a notable rise from 115 players the previous year, according to a June 2025 salary dump.
Impact of Recent Transfers and Messi’s Future
The mid-season and off-season transfer windows significantly reshaped the salary landscape. Beyond Son Heung-Min, other notable newcomers making an impact on team payrolls include Inter Miami midfielder Rodrigo De Paul (annualized at $3.62 million overall), Colorado Rapids midfielder Paxten Aaronson ($2.23 million), Vancouver Whitecaps forward Thomas Müller ($1.44 million), and New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner ($1.94 million). Müller, in particular, has proven a bargain for the Whitecaps, contributing seven goals and three assists in just seven regular-season matches.
Conversely, the league also saw departures. Besides Lorenzo Insigne, Toronto’s Federico Bernardeschi also fell off the top-10 list after leaving MLS in the summer, where he was previously earning $6.3 million in overall compensation. These movements demonstrate the fluid nature of MLS rosters and the constant churn of talent.
Looking ahead, Messi’s earnings are set to change after he signed a three-year contract extension with Inter Miami last week, ensuring his presence in the league through the 2028 season. While terms were not immediately disclosed, this commitment solidifies his long-term impact on both the field and the league’s financial structure, as reported by Yahoo Sports. The 38-year-old Argentine maestro remains the favored candidate to win a second consecutive MVP trophy this fall, underscoring his continued dominance.
American Talent and the Evolving MLS Financial Identity
While global stars dominate the top of the salary list, the highest-paid domestic players also represent significant investments by their clubs. As of October 2025, no Americans cracked the overall top 20, but key figures include Austin FC striker Brandon Vazquez ($3.55 million), Nashville center-back Walker Zimmerman ($3.46 million), and Toronto midfielder Djordje Mihailovic ($2.28 million). Zimmerman, in particular, consistently ranks among the highest-paid American stars, solidifying his value as a national team player and league veteran.
The evolving salary landscape, with record spending from top clubs, rising average compensation, and a strategic influx of international talent, tells the story of an MLS still finding its financial identity. It’s a league that is increasingly willing to invest in star power to elevate its global profile, while also fostering growth for its broader player base. The blend of veteran European talent, emerging South American stars, and growing investment in domestic players paints a picture of a league on a continuous upward trajectory.
