Growth of MLS
The Major League Soccer (MLS), despite being on the far side of the Europe-centric football world, has been under the spotlight for not only its ever-growing footballing activities but also for its rapidly growing valuation. The American Football League is among the most valuable football competitions in the world. As a result, it has attracted many top footballers from the European market and has eventually convinced them to land in the USA. Prominent players like Thierry Henry, David Beckham, Kaka, Wayne Rooney, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, etc have all been part of the MLS.
Lionel Messi, who joined Inter Miami from Paris Saint-Germain in last year’s summer transfer window, is the latest addition to the roster of the league’s star players’ list. His signing was followed by the signings of his former Barcelona teammates Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, and Luis Suarez. Many argue that the players, on the cusp of retirement, seek new challenges away from the action-packed European football, while high salaries associated with these contracts also take center stage. By examining the current value of the MLS, we can understand the reason behind the popularity of the league among European and Latin American players. The current valuation of the USA tournament is around $1.2 billion, according to Forbes.
Inter Miami is the most valued side of the MLS, almost twice the worth of the second-placed Atlanta United. Almost all the 15 teams in the USA top flight have broken the banks to secure expensive talents from the transfer market. In this article, we’ll discuss the 10 Highest paid players in the MLS.
Also Read: Inter Miami vs Nashville Player Ratings as Miami Destroys Nashville!
10 Highest paid MLS Players in 2024
1. Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
The Argentine landed in the MLS last year on a two-year deal. Inter Miami writes a paycheck of $20.5 million annually to the player, making him the highest-paid footballer in the league.
2. Lorenzo Insigne (Toronto FC)
The former Napoli forward is the second on the list, having earned around $15.4 million.
3. Xherdan Shaqiri (Chicago Fire)
The Swiss attacker signed for the MLS side in 2022 and has already made 60 appearances for the club in all competitions. His annual salary is $8.2 million.
4. Javier Hernandez (LA Galaxy)
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United forward, who is widely known as “Chicharito,” is the fourth-highest earner in Major League Soccer. The Mexican star receives an annual paycheck worth $7.4 million from his team, La Galaxy.
5. Federico Bernardeschi (Toronto FC)
The versatile Italian attacker earns around $6.3 million every year. The former colleague of Cristiano Ronaldo joined Toronto FC in 2022.
6. Sebastian Driussi (Austin FC)
The captain of Austin FC is the sixth player in the list of the highest earners in MLS. His annual salary at the MLS club is $6 million.
7. Hector Herrera (Houston Dynamo)
The Mexican star is one of the most valuable players in the USA league. He occupies the seventh spot in the highest earning list as his salary at Houston Dynamo is $5.2 million per year.
8. Douglas Costa (La Galaxy)
The La Galaxy player is one of the highest-earning athletes in MLS. La Galaxy spends $4.5 million every year on the footballer.
9. Christian Benteke (DC United)
The former Premier League forward is one of the most expensive signings in the history of DC United. His service costs the MLS outfit $4.4 million every year.
10. Josef Martinez (Inter Miami)
The Venezuelan striker is the 10th player in the top 10 highest earners list in MLS. His current contract at Inter Miami offers him an annual salary of $4.4 million.
MLS is going to enter its 28th season this year, and the sudden surge of soccer popularity in the USA has taken the league to new heights. With players such as Messi, and Suarez coming in, more talents from Europe are expected to follow suit. In addition to its popularity, it has been learned that Messi’s former attacking partner Neymar is also linked to a potential move to MLS this season. Just as the 1994 FIFA World Cup helped create the soccer league, there is hope that the upcoming 2026 World Cup could elevate it to the next level with significant investment in USA soccer.
Also Read: Lionel Messi Likely to Miss Inter Miami’s Next Match Due to Hamstring Injury
(Source: Statista)
FAQs
Q. Who is the highest-paid player in the MLS in 2024?
A. Lionel Messi is the highest-paid player in the MLS in 2024.
Q. What is the lowest salary in the MLS?
A. $36,500 for players below 25 years and $48,500 for players older than 25 years.
Q. Who is the richest MLS player?
A. Lionel Messi is the richest MLS player.