Lionel Messi tops the Major League Soccer salary list with a record $20 million

Inter Miami striker Lionel Messi is the highest-paid player in Major League Soccer, with a league-record guaranteed annual compensation of $20.4 million, according to the Major League Soccer Players Association. Announced Wednesday.

This mark includes Messi’s salary only. Earlier this year, Miami co-owner Jorge Mas revealed to Spanish newspaper El País that Messi’s total compensation, which includes part of the league’s Apple TV deal, ranges from $50 million to $60 million.

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The arrival of Messi midway through the season, along with teammates Sergio Busquets ($1.775 million) and Jordi Alba ($1.25 million), catapulted the Hirons to the top of the MLS team salary rankings, with a total guaranteed compensation of $39.419 million. That’s more than double the $18.88 million the team spent at this time last year.

Messi’s guaranteed salary is the highest in MLS history, besting Toronto FC’s Lorenzo Insigne, who ranks second on Wednesday’s list at $15.4 million. In the top five were Chicago Fire’s Xherdan Shaqiri ($8.15 million), Los Angeles Galaxy’s Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez ($7.44 million), and Toronto’s Federico Bernardeschi ($6.3 million).

All data as of September 15, 2023. Salary data calculated annually for players such as Messi who joined the league during the summer transfer window.

Messi’s arrival helped push the average guaranteed base compensation for the entire MLS player pool to $543,207, up 5.5% from the September 2022 mark of $514,729. Salaries for players at the bottom of the pay scale continue to improve, with the league’s average guaranteed base compensation at $282,125, a 13.4% increase from the September 2022 mark of $248,688.

MLS and MLSPA are in the third year of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that was agreed upon in February 2021. The current CBA runs through the end of the 2027 season.

In terms of team salaries based on guaranteed base compensation, Toronto FC ranked second behind Miami at $32.293 million, followed by the Los Angeles Galaxy ($25.039 million), MLS Cup champions Los Angeles ($20.841 million) and the Chicago Fire ($25.039 million). 20.416 million dollars).

Orlando City had the lowest payroll at $9.643 million — partly due to striker Erkan Kara’s move to Turkish club Samsunspor in September — followed by Montreal ($10.92 million), expansion team St. Louis City ($11.187 million), and New Jersey FC ($11.187 million). ($11.187 million). York Red Bulls ($11.331 million) and Philadelphia Union ($13.291 million).

FC Cincinnati, the recent Fan’s Shield winner, came in at 21st with total guaranteed compensation of $14.349 million.

Based on the current MLS standings prior to Decision Day, the three highest-spending teams — Miami, Toronto and Galaxy — will miss the playoffs. Austin FC, which finished sixth with $19.166 million, is the other team among the top 10 spenders to miss the postseason.