Soccer is one of the most popular sports in the world with some of the highest-paid athletes. Major League Soccer hasn’t had the highest-paid players historically, but it’s catching up to other leagues worldwide.
Lionel Messi earns $12 million to remain the highest-paid MLS player.
The Argentine superstar made his grand entrance onto the MLS stage last Summer. Inter Miami and MLS haven’t looked back since, scoring record attendance and revenue since Messi’s arrival.
Messi’s teammate at Inter Miami, Sergio Busquets, earns $8.5 million for second. The former Barcelona player signed a 2-year, $17 million deal a day after Messi.
He earned only $1.5 million in his first season, but that jumped up to $8.5 million this year. However, the defensive midfielder is still earning less than he had when he was making over $26 million a year in his heyday with Barcelona.
Rounding out the top 25, Walker Zimmerman is a unicorn among the highest-paid MLS players. He’s the only American to feature among the highest-paid, earning $3.2 million, and one of only 2 defenders.
The 31-year-old central defender was earning $975K before he signed an extension in 2022 with Nashville SC. Zimmerman has earned $11.2 million in his career, starting in Dallas in 2013 where he earned $75K in his first season.
Only four of the highest-paid players are not forwards, including Zimmerman. Riqui Puig, a Galaxy midfielder, earns $4 million, making him the second highest-paid midfielder.
Ranking the Highest Paid Major League Soccer Players
Here is the list of the top 25 highest-paid MLS players, based on data from Capology.
- Updated: April 15, 2025
| Rank | Player | Position | Team | Total Compensation |
| 1 | Lionel Messi | Forward | Inter Miami | $12 million |
| 2 | Sergio Busquets | Midfielder | Inter Miami | $8.5 million |
| 3 | Lorenzo Insigne | Forward | Toronto FC | $7.5 million |
| 4 | Emil Forsberg | Forward | NY Red Bulls | $5.4 million |
| 5 | Christian Benteke | Forward | DC United | $4.25 million |
| T-6 | Carles Gil | Forward | New England Revolution | $4 million |
| T-6 | Riqui Puig | Midfielder | LA Galaxy | $4 million |
| 8 | Hany Mukhtar | Forward | Nashville SC | $3.8 million |
| 9 | Hugo Cuypers | Forward | Chicago Fire | $3.24 million |
| 10 | Walker Zimmerman | Defender | Nashville SC | $3.2 million |
| 11 | Joseph Paintstil | Forward | LA Galaxy | $3.14 million |
| 12 | Federico Bernadeschi | Forward | Toronto FC | $3.13 million |
| 13 | Denis Bouanga | Forward | LA FC | $2.92 million |
| 14 | Ryan Gauld | Forward | Vancouver Whitecaps | $2.88 million |
| 15 | Luis Muriel | Forward | Orlando City | $2.83 million |
| 16 | Olivier Giroud | Forward | LA FC | $2.8 million |
| 17 | Diego Rossi | Forward | Columbus Crew | $2.68 million |
| 18 | Ezequiel Ponce | Forward | Houston Dynamo | $2.56 million |
| 19 | Sam Surridge | Forward | Nashville SC | $2.5 million |
| 20 | Aleksey Miranchuk | Forward | Atlanta United | $2.4 million |
| 21 | Liel Abada | Forward | Charlotte FC | $2.3 million |
| 22 | Albert Rusnak | Forward | Seattle Sounders | $2.2 million |
| 23 | Thiago Martins | Defender | NYCFC | $2 million |
| 24 | Pep Biel | Forward | Charlotte FC | $1.96 million |
| 25 | Kevin Cabral | Forward | Colorado Rapids | $1.95 million |
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