Lionel Messi is officially the highest paid player in Major League Soccer history.
Messi will make $20,446,667 in guaranteed compensation in 2023, with a base salary of $12 million, according to the MLS Players Association in its traditional second salary release of the season. Lorenzo Insigne, Toronto FCThe Italian star is the next winner with $15.4 million in guaranteed compensation, which is also the second-highest salary in MLS history.
There is a big drop behind these two players. Only 14 players have earned more during their MLS career than the $20.45 million Messi will earn in his first season in the league. Miami pays Messi more than the entire payroll of 25 MLS franchises, with Toronto, LA Galaxy and LAFC the only exceptions.
Messi’s high salary is no surprise, but it is important to dive into the meaning of these salary figures. The MLSPA guaranteed compensation figure comes from a calculation based on the annualization of the base salary and any guaranteed bonuses Messi will receive over the life of his contract. If, for example, Messi receives a $20 million signing bonus this year, that would represent $8 million in guaranteed compensation over his 2.5-year contract, on top of his $12 million base salary.
The guaranteed compensation figure usually does not include performance bonuses. Athletics it was previously reported that Messi would make “in his twenties” millions per year, but that number will fluctuate depending on his performance drivers. Messi reportedly earned 41 million euros ($43.2 million) net after taxes with Paris Saint-Germain.
Messi’s salary figure also does not include the significant compensation he received when he joined Inter Miami, including equity in the club when he retires. Inter Miami was valued at $585 million last year, but that valuation is expected to increase with the signing of Messi and the ongoing construction of a $1 billion stadium. Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas told CNBC this summer that he believes the valuation will reach between $1.3 billion and $1.5 billion.
Messi’s MLS compensation as listed by the MLSPA also does not include the deals he signed after joining the league with corporate partners including Apple, Adidas and Fanatics.
The salary release also included key information on Miami’s other signings.
According to the announcement, Sergio Busquets is making just $1.775 million in guaranteed compensation in 2023, while Jordi Alba earns $1.25 million. Athletics it was previously reported that Busquets was earning around $26.3 million at Barcelona, but that his offer to stay in 2024 was around $8 million. Both Busquets and Alba were reported to have deferred compensation from Barcelona to help with the club’s financial affairs and were owed tens of millions in payments by the club. Athletics previously reported, Alba received a share of 36 million euros ($39.8 million) in salary and the deferral he needed from Barcelona when he decided to leave with a year left on his contract, which could help offset the pay gap.
The three MLS under-22 starters are earning far less than the former Barcelona crew in guaranteed compensation, as the U-22 rule requires players to make less than MLS’ maximum budget fee of $651,250 . Facundo Farías makes $525,000, Diego Gómez makes $504,167 and Tomás Avilés makes $387,500.
More food from MLS
Beyond South Beach, the MLSPA release offered some other headline-worthy finds. Insigne’s guaranteed compensation increased from $7.5 million this spring to $15.4 million. Athletics previously reported that Insigne was upset with how his compensation was reported in the first release of MLS salary information.
An MLSPA spokesperson said the AP relies on documentation from the MLS and “at the time of the previous release, we did not have a subsidiary agreement for additional compensation. It was given to us then and so we added it to the system, creating the discrepancy.”
The highest paid new signings were a pair of forwards from England: Teemu Pukki e Minnesota United ($3.55 million) and Sam Surridge of Nashville SC ($2.91 million). Pukki has scored 10 goals for the Loons, while Surridge has two in league games for the Coyotes after adding three in the League Cup.
Four teams finish the season without a single player earning above the designated player salary threshold of $1,651,250: New York Red Bulls (10th in the Eastern Conference standings entering Decision Day), Orlando City (2nd in the East), i San Jose earthquakes (9th in the West) and Western Conference champion St. Louis City SC.
Orlando has the lowest salary bill in the league with a guaranteed salary cap of $9,642,918. The Lions traded their former cap hitter (forward Ercan Kara, who earned $2.05 million) this summer, with a replacement ready. Duncan McGuire entering the 2023 SuperDraft with a salary of $77,360. Kara had five goals to show for 852 minutes at the time of his sale to Samsunspor; McGuire, a 22-year-old out of Creighton, has scored 11 times in 1,366 minutes as a rookie.
The sum of the guaranteed compensation of all players on the 29 teams (plus 10 players without a club on the league’s books, a group headlined by Jozy Altidore) comes out to $501,923,704 in salaries. The average salary for all 924 players is $543,207. The league average salary is $282,125, the midpoint between the 462nd highest earner (Jonathan Perez of LA Galaxy, $283,000) and 463rd (Indiana Vasilev of St. Louis, $281,250).
With the regular season ending Saturday, only five of the league’s 29 teams have been eliminated from playoff contention. We now know that three of that quintet also serve as the top three spenders in terms of player salaries.
(Photo: CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)
