Lionel Messi (38) has slipped to a shared fourth place in the Major League Soccer player valuation rankings due to his age, but when it comes to salaries in North America’s top soccer league, the Argentine World Cup winner with Inter Miami remains unmatched. According to official figures released by the MLS Player Association (MLSPA), Messi is guaranteed $28.3 million (approximately €24.1 million) this season, with a base salary of $25 million.
The list includes both base salary and guaranteed compensation for every player—the only two official numbers that fall under the MLS salary cap. Sponsorship deals that players may have with third parties are not included, which explains why reports like Forbes in October 2025 often state Messi earns up to $130 million total, while his actual guaranteed compensation in Miami is significantly lower.
Nevertheless, Messi is far ahead in the MLS salary comparison. The trio behind him—Heung-min Son (33) of Los Angeles FC, teammate Rodrigo De Paul (31), and Hirving Lozano (30) of San Diego FC—combined earn $30.1 million in guaranteed compensation, each between $9.3 million and $11.1 million. De Paul, who was originally loaned last season under a Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) contract guaranteeing $3.62 million, has nearly tripled his pay in his second year after being permanently signed from Atlético Madrid. Meanwhile, Lozano collects his salary without on-field return; after falling out with the coaching staff last season, San Diego announced before the 2026 campaign that he is free to find a new club.
Müller, Reus, Werner: What the Germans Earn in the MLS
Former Bayern star Thomas Müller of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC has seen an even larger percentage increase. The 2014 World Cup winner earned about $1.4 million in his first half-year contract in Canada. Vancouver had not signed another Designated Player (who can earn above the salary cap) at that time. In 2026, Müller’s contract was restructured to a base salary of $5 million and guaranteed compensation of $5.15 million (about €4.4 million). While Messi’s lead over him has dropped from 15 times six months ago, he still earns multiples of the Bayern record player.
The top German earner remains Hany Mukhtar ($5.4 million) of Nashville SC, just ahead of Müller. MLS newcomer Timo Werner of the San Jose Earthquakes receives a guaranteed $4.3 million (€3.7 million) with a base salary of $3.7 million. Thus, Messi’s guaranteed compensation is almost exactly three times the combined earnings of Müller and Werner.
Marco Reus (36) of LA Galaxy is far behind, with a guaranteed $902,000—even less than his $1.1 million last year. Reus’s relatively low salary is due to the Designated Player slots being filled when he transferred in 2024, leading to a contract with a smaller base salary but various payments outside the current cap.
Meanwhile, the highest-paid American player on the list is in Canada. Toronto FC paid Norwich City €18.65 million plus €4.2 million in bonuses for striker Josh Sargent (26) in February, making him the club’s most expensive signing ever and the third most expensive in MLS history. According to the MLSPA, Sargent will receive a guaranteed $5.27 million this season—slightly more than Müller.
