Highest-Paid Players in MLS 2024: After a few weeks without a contract, Lionel Messi has made the decision to join Inter Miami. The Argentine World Cup champion revealed this news in an interview with the Spanish press, and the club later confirmed it on their official platforms. With this move to Major League Soccer, Messi becomes the highest-paid player in the North American league, and his arrival is highly anticipated as he is an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.
Lionel Messi has chosen to pursue his American dream amidst various options, including a tempting offer of over one billion euros from Saudi Arabia, FC Barcelona’s financial troubles, and the opportunity with Inter Miami. The renowned Argentine player has now officially signed with David Beckham’s team. In Florida, Messi will receive a salary of 50 million dollars, which is around 46.6 million euros at the current exchange rate. In addition to his fixed salary, he will also earn royalties for each new subscriber registered by Apple TV, the broadcaster of Major League Soccer (MLS).
A contract with Inter Miami, Apple TV, and Adidas
It seems that Apple has plans to create a series focused on Lionel Messi. This agreement involves Adidas as well, as they provide kits for all MLS teams, including Messi’s, and will share a portion of their earnings with the 35-year-old player. Moreover, Inter Miami, apart from the salary and bonuses, will also grant Messi a 5% ownership stake in the club. This means that the Argentine football legend will become a majority shareholder in David Beckham’s franchise.
10 Highest-Paid Players in MLS 2023
Messi’s annual income of $50 million surpasses the combined earnings of the eight highest-paid players in MLS.
| No. | Players (Club) | Annual Income |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lionel Messi (Inter Miami) | $50 million |
| 2 | Xherdan Shaqiri (Chicago) | $8.1 million |
| 3 | Lorenzo Insigne (Toronto FC) | $7.5 million |
| 4 | Javier Hernandez (LA Galaxy) | $7.4 million |
| 5 | Federico Bernardeschi (Toronto FC) | $6.2 million |
| 6 | Sebastian Dirussi (Austin FC) | $6.022 million |
| 7 | Hector Herrera (Houston Dynamo) | $5.2 million |
| 8 | Douglas Costa (LA Galaxy) | $4.5 million |
| 9 | Luiz Araujo (Atlanta United) | $4.4 million |
| 10 | Christian Benteke (DC United) | $4.4 million |