Major League Soccer salaries: Lionel Messi earns more than 22 clubs

Lionel Messi earns more money at Inter Miami CF than the players of 22 of the other 28 clubs in Major League Soccer. The 37-year-old earns a guaranteed compensation of $20,446,667. The numbers were published by the Major League Soccer Players Association (MLSPA) earlier this week. Guaranteed compensation doesn’t include sponsorship payments. 

New LA Galaxy star Marco Reus will earn $1,216,667. The German star will earn less than his compatriot Marcel Hartel, who, after his transfer from St. Pauli to St. Louis CITY SC, will be guaranteed compensation of $2,183,113 this season. 

Reus had to agree to a lower deal as the LA Galaxy already had their full complement of Designated Players (DP) under contract for this season. The three DPs at the Galaxy are Riqui Puig, Joseph Paintsil, and Gabriel Pec. While Reus is signed to a TAM deal, Hartel’s salary in St. Louis isn’t limited by the cap. 

With a total salary of $41.7m, Inter Miami’s squad is the most expensive in MLS by some distance. The South Florida club is followed by Toronto FC, with an annual salary of $31.8m, and the two teams from Los Angeles. Galaxy’s squad costs $22.1m; a tLAFC, players receive total salaries of $22m. Otherwise, the only other clubs with higher wages than what Messi receives at Inter Miami are Nashville SC ($21.9m), FC Cincinnati ($21m) and Houston Dynamo ($20.5m).