Messi salary dwarfs Son in MLS wage reveal

Los Angeles Football Club v Inter Miami CF

The full extent of Lionel Messi’s financial impact on Major League Soccer has been laid bare following the latest release of official salary data. While the Argentine superstar continues to dominate on the pitch for Inter Miami, the figures confirm he remains in a league of his own when it comes to compensation in North America.

Messi the undisputed king of MLS

New figures highlighting the guaranteed compensation for players across Major League Soccer have confirmed that Messi remains the highest-paid individual in the history of the division.

The Inter Miami captain, who led his side to MLS Cup glory last season while claiming Golden Boot and MVP honours, is currently raking in a staggering annual salary that dwarfs the competition.

The Argentine legend’s base salary is supplemented by a range of commercial agreements, but even the guaranteed figures provided by the MLS Players Association show the massive gulf between the World Cup winner and the rest of the league's designated players.

Son Heung-Min, LAFC

Huge gap between Messi and Son

The disparity in earnings is most notable when compared to other high-profile arrivals in the league, such as Son Heung-min. The former Tottenham winger, who joined LAFC in a landmark move for the Western Conference side, earns significantly less than the man in South Florida - who is now pulling in $28.3 million (£21m).

Official records indicate that Messi is currently earning more than twice the amount of the South Korea international.

Son remains one of the premier talents in the league and a vital component of the Los Angeles side's attacking threat, yet his compensation highlights the "Messi Exception" that exists within the MLS salary cap structure.

While Son is among the top five earners in the league, he still trails Messi's total guaranteed compensation when earning $11.1m (£8m) from his own deal.

Financial hierarchy of the American top flight

Behind Messi, the list of top earners includes several familiar faces from European football who have made the jump across the Atlantic. Inter Miami team-mate and fellow World Cup winner Rodrigo De Paul sits third on the wage chart, with Miguel Almiron and Hirving Lozano completing the top five.

Clubs like LAFC and the Galaxy have traditionally been the biggest spenders in the league, but the arrival of Messi has forced a recalibration of what a "superstar" contract looks like in the United States.

Lionel Messi Inter Miami 2026

The impact of the 2026 World Cup cycle

As the United States prepares to host the 2026 World Cup, these salary figures underscore the league's ambition to attract global icons during their peak or late-career years.

With more stars expected to join the league following the conclusion of the European season, the wage bill across Major League Soccer is projected to rise even further.

However, for the foreseeable future, Messi’s contract will remain the benchmark that every other designated player-including Champions League winners and Premier League icons can only look at from a distance.