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Monday, June 16, 2025

The 25 Highest-Paid MLS Forwards

  • Lionel Messi leads all forwards earning $12 million.
  • Only three forwards earn over $5 million.
Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The MLS continues to grow in revenue and expand its number of teams, partially thanks to the arrival of internationally known players.

Lionel Messi tops all MLS forwards as the highest-paid of 2025.

Few players in the world can stir up global hype — and potentially double their team revenues — like Messi. He makes $12 million a year playing for Inter Miami. His groundbreaking arrival in the MLS last summer caused a flurry of new attention league-wide.

Messi’s salary and career numbers put him far ahead of the rest of the list. He’s the only player earning over $10 million and the only one with over 200 career goals.

Coming in second is Lorenzo Insigne of Toronto. Insigne earns $7.5 million a season as their star forward. He’s signed until 2026 and is set to make $22.5 million in his time with them.

His 127 career goals are third among the top 10 highest-paid forwards.

Third on the list is Red Bulls’ Emil Forsberg earning $5.41 million. Forsberg won the 2021 Swedish Golden Ball while playing for his native Sweden.

Sebastián Driussi makes $4.5 million to come in fourth. Driussi was signed in 2021 by Austin and played in its inaugural season in the MLS. Driussi has played in his native Argentina and Russia before signing a two-year deal to play in the MLS. 

Rounding out the top five is Christian Benteke of DC United. He earns $4.25 million as part of a two-year, $8.5 million deal signed last August. Benteke earned $67.41 million during his time in the English Premier League.

Seven of the ten highest-paid MLS forwards play in the Eastern Conference.

Even though he doesn’t play in every MLS game, disappointing some clubs, Messi’s 594 career matches are over 100 more than the next closest player on the list.

Ranking The Highest-Paid MLS Forwards

Here is the entire list of the highest-paid MLS forwards. The list was compiled with data from Capology.

  • Updated: March 31, 2025
RankPlayerTeamTotal Compensation
1Lionel MessiInter Miami$12 million
2Lorenzo InsigneToronto FC$7.5 million
3Emil ForsbergNY Red Bulls$5.41 million
4Christian BentekeDC United$4.25 million
5Carles GilNE Revolution$4 million
6Hany MukhtarNashville SC$3.8 million
7Hugo CuypersChicago Fire$3.24 million
8Joseph PaintsilLA Galaxy$3.14 million
9Federico BernardeschiToronto FC$3.13 million
10Denis BouangaLAFC$2.92 million
11Ryan GauldVancouver Whitecaps$2.88 million
12Luis MurielOrlando City$2.83 million
13Olivier Giroud LAFC$2.8 million
14Diego RossiColumbus Crew$2.68 million
15Ezequiel PonceHouston Dynamo$2.56 million
16Sam SurridgeNashville SC$2.5 million
17Aleksey MiranchukAtlanta United$2.4 million
18Liel AbadaCharlotte FC$2.3 million
19Albert RusnákSeattle Sounders$2.15 million
20Kévin CabralColorado Rapids$1.95 million
21Cristian Espinoza San Jose Earthquakes$1.82 million
T-22Peter MusaFC Dallas$1.8 million
T-22Mikael UhrePhiladelphia Union$1.8 million
24Jonathan RodríguezPortland Timbers $1.78 million
25Jordan MorrisSeattle Sounders$1.7 million

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