Lionel Messi’s reign as Major League Soccer’s financial king continues. The Inter Miami superstar remains the league’s highest-paid player for the third consecutive year, with his salary now reportedly sitting at $28 million—a significant raise from his previous terms. The updated figures, confirmed by MLS Players Association data, cement Messi’s status not just as a global icon but as the undisputed economic powerhouse of American soccer.
Since his blockbuster move to Inter Miami in the summer of 2023, Messi has dominated the salary rankings. His initial base salary was believed to be in the range of $20 million, but incentives, commercial agreements, and his equity stake in the club have always made his total compensation far exceed standard MLS contracts. Now, with the explicit raise kicking in for the current season, the Argentine legend’s guaranteed compensation pushes the boundaries of what’s possible under the league’s salary cap structure.
Inter Miami’s spending spree doesn’t stop with Messi. The club’s total wage bill far outpaces the rest of the league, with former Barcelona stars Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, and Luis Suárez all commanding multi-million-dollar deals. Together, the quartet forms one of the most expensive rosters in MLS history, a testament to owner Jorge Mas’s ambition to turn Miami into a global football destination. While other teams operate under tighter budgets, Inter Miami has leveraged the Designated Player rule and targeted allocation money to assemble a galaxy of stars.
The Designated Player rule, introduced in 2007 with David Beckham’s arrival, was designed precisely for moments like this. It allows clubs to sign up to three players whose salaries exceed the cap, with only a portion counting against the budget. Messi occupies one of those slots, and his $28 million figure dwarfs even Beckham’s landmark deal, which was worth $6.5 million per year at the time. Adjusted for inflation and the league’s growth, the comparison underscores how dramatically MLS finances have evolved.
For MLS as a whole, Messi’s salary is both a milestone and a challenge. It signals the league’s willingness to invest in genuine global superstars, boosting TV ratings, ticket sales, and international visibility. The Apple TV streaming deal, which reportedly includes revenue-sharing incentives tied to Messi’s presence, means his on-field performances directly impact the league’s bottom line. In that sense, his paycheck is an investment with tangible returns—jersey sales alone generated record-breaking numbers within hours of his signing announcement.
Yet the massive disparity in spending raises questions about competitive balance. While Inter Miami can afford to allocate over $28 million to one player, several entire teams’ payrolls sit below $15 million. Critics argue that such inequality could create a two-tier league, where the wealthy few dominate while others struggle to keep up. So far, Miami’s star power hasn’t guaranteed trophies—their Leagues Cup win in 2023 was followed by inconsistent league form—but the pressure to deliver an MLS Cup is immense.
Historically, Messi’s deal eclipses previous benchmark contracts. Before Messi, the highest-paid players were typically in the $7–8 million range: Lorenzo Insigne at Toronto FC, Xherdan Shaqiri, and Chicharito. Even Zlatan Ibrahimović’s two seasons at LA Galaxy peaked at around $7.2 million. Messi’s $28 million resets the ceiling entirely, and what’s more astonishing is that it comes without a DP rule change—a testament to the creative accounting and commercial partnerships that MLS teams now employ.
The salary bump also reflects Messi’s unprecedented impact. In his first full season, MLS attendance saw double-digit percentage increases when Miami played away, and social media engagement metrics skyrocketed. Clubs across the league have raised ticket prices for Inter Miami fixtures, capitalizing on what some call the “Messi Effect.” Thus, his raise isn’t merely a reward for on-field performance—it’s a market correction, aligning his pay packet with the immense value he generates.
For Inter Miami, the stakes are sky-high. The franchise has bet its future on an aging core of legends in their mid-to-late thirties, and the window for success is narrow. With Messi under contract through 2025 and an option for 2026, the clock is ticking. The team’s aggressive spending has also drawn scrutiny regarding MLS’s roster rules, with some insiders suggesting the league may need to introduce further mechanisms—such as a luxury tax—to maintain parity without stifling investment.
League commissioners and team executives will be watching closely. If Miami’s approach yields sustained success, it could encourage more owners to spend big on marquee signings. Conversely, if the experiment falters, it may reinforce the argument that while stars sell tickets, depth and cohesion win championships. Either way, Messi’s contract is a landmark moment that will influence MLS policy for years to come.
As the 2025 season unfolds, all eyes remain on Messi and his salary figure as much as his free kicks and dribbles. The $28 million marker is more than a number—it’s a symbol of MLS’s transformation from a retirement league to a legitimate destination for the world’s best talent, even if the journey is still being written.
Based on reporting from ESPN.
