Top 10 Highest Paid Players in MLS—Ranked

Four 2025 signings join the likes of Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.

Lionel Messi is chasing a historic second MLS MVP award. / Leonardo Fernandez/Getty Images

The Major League Soccer Players Association (MLSPA) released an updated salary guide for all players in the league.

Stars from Inter Miami like Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba expectedly headline some of the names on the list, but new additions to the league in 2025 also fill out the top 10. LAFC summer signing Son Heung-min and San Diego FC Designated Player Hirving Lozano also make the top 10.

Inter Miami are the only team to have multiple players in the top 10.

Check out the list below.

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Highest Paid Players in MLS

The veteran ex-Barcelona trio have reunited in Miami. / Megan Briggs/Getty Images

Player	Team	Base Salary	Guaranteed Comp.
Lionel Messi	Inter Miami CF	$12,000,000	$20,446,667
Son Heung-min	LAFC	$10,368,750	$11,152,852
Sergio Busquets	Inter Miami CF	$8,499,996	$8,774,996
Miguel Almirón	Atlanta United	$6,056,000	$7,871,000
Hirving Lozano	San Diego FC	$6,000,000	$7,633,333
Emil Forsberg	New York Red Bulls	$5,405,000	$6,035,625
Jordi Alba	Inter Miami CF	$6,000,000	$6,000,000
Riqui Puig	LA Galaxy	$5,125,000	$5,779,688
Jonathan Bamba	Chicago Fire	$5,000,000	$5,581,806
Hany Mukhtar	Nashville SC	$3,900,000	$5,311,667

Numbers Provided by MLS Players Association

Messi leads the way in base salary and guaranteed compensation, but Son is not far behind.

Compared to last year, there are five total changes in the top 10. Previously, Lorenzo Insigne, Héctor Herrera, Sebastián Driussi, Christian Benteke and Carles Gil made the cut. They were replaced in the 2025 list by Son, Miguel Almirón, Lozano, Alba and Jonathan Bamba.

In total, there are 135 players in MLS making at least $1 million in guaranteed compensation. The base amount of compensation for players in the league is $80,622.

There will be a major shift in the top 10 next year given both Busquets and Alba will retire at the end of their playoff run. With two spots opening up, and specifically a Designated Player slot on Miami, the Herons could still likely dominate the list next year.

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Messi Calls for MLS to Loosen Financial Restrictions

Lionel Messi (right) wants MLS teams to have more free reign around acquiring top talent. / Eston Parker/ISI Photos/Getty Images

Prior to the updated salary guide getting released, Messi discussed the financial regulations in MLS. The Argentine made a call for loosening those guidelines to further growth of the sport in the U.S.

“Well, for starters, every team should have the opportunity to bring in players and sign whoever each team wants—without limitations or rules for players to bring them in,” Messi said.

“I don’t think that today all teams in the United States, all clubs, have the power to do that, and I think that if they were given the freedom, many more important players would come and help the growth of the United States.”

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