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Messi remains top MLS earner with salary of £18.5m
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Messi remains top MLS earner with salary of £18.5m

BBC Sport · May 12, 2026, 10:14 PM

Key takeaways

  • Lionel Messi and compatriot Rodrigo de Paul are among the top three earners in MLS
  • Lionel Messi remains the highest-paid player in Major League Soccer with an annual base salary of $25m (£18.5m) - more than double that of the North American league's next-highest earner.
  • Figures released, external by the MLS Players Association reflect the contract extension that Messi, who turns 39 next month, signed with Inter Miami in October.

Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.

Lionel Messi and compatriot Rodrigo de Paul are among the top three earners in MLS

Lionel Messi remains the highest-paid player in Major League Soccer with an annual base salary of $25m (£18.5m) - more than double that of the North American league's next-highest earner.

Figures released, external by the MLS Players Association reflect the contract extension that Messi, who turns 39 next month, signed with Inter Miami in October.

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