Messi tops MLS salary list, De Paul third. Here’s the full Inter Miami payroll
Even before Lionel Messi signed a new three-year contract last October, his salary exceeded the payroll of more than two-thirds of the teams in Major League Soccer. Now, the gap is even wider.
According to the 2026 league salary guide from the MLS Players Association, which was released Tuesday, Messi will make $28,333,333 in guaranteed compensation this year with a base salary of $25 million.
The guide defines guaranteed compensation as base salary plus all signing/guaranteed bonuses annualized, excluding performance bonuses.
The salary figures reported do not include Messi’s major sponsorship deals with Apple TV, adidas, Anheuser-Busch, Hard Rock International and dozens of other companies. Details of Messi’s new deal were not disclosed, but the total package is valued at more than $150 million, which includes equity in the club upon his retirement.
While Messi’s salary might not come as a surprise, considering he is an eight-time Ballon D’Or winner and arguably the greatest player of all time, that of his teammate and close friend Rodrigo De Paul might raise some eyebrows.
De Paul, a midfielder who joined the team last summer from Atletico Madrid and is on the Argentine national team with Messi, is the third-highest paid MLS player with $9,688,320 million guaranteed and a base salary of $7.57 million, trailing only Messi and LAFC star Son Heung-Min ($11.15 million).
De Paul will make more than retired Spanish legends Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba made last season.
The rest of the MLS top 10 salaries are: Hirving Lozano (San Diego, $9.3 million), Miguel Almiron (Atlanta United, $7.9 million), Emil Forsberg (New York Red Bulls, $6 million), Sam Surridge (Nashville SC, $5.9 million), Ricky Puig (LA Galaxy, $5.8 million), Jonathan Bamba (Chicago Fire, $5.6 million), Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC, $5.4 million).
Here are the salaries of all the Inter Miami players, listed highest to lowest.
Lionel Messi: Base salary $25 million, guaranteed compensation $28,333,333
Rodrigo De Paul: Base salary $7.57 million, guaranteed compensation $9,688,320
German Berterame: Base salary $2.8 million, guaranteed compensation $3.824 million
Sergio Reguilon: Base salary $1.7 million, guaranteed compensation $1.8 million
Facundo Mura: Base salary $850,000, guaranteed compensation $1.03 million
Tadeo Allende: Base salary $625,000, guaranteed compensation $1 million
Gonzalo Lujan: Base salary $630,000, guaranteed compensation $921,750
Micael dos Santos: Base salary $750,000, guaranteed compensation $892,440
Dayne St. Clair: Base salary $745,313, guaranteed compensation $808,730
Luis Suarez: Base salary $803,125, guaranteed compensation $803,125
David Ayala: Base salary $650,000, guaranteed compensation $771,000
Maxi Falcon: Base salary $600,000, guaranteed compensation $675,250
Mateo Silvetti: Base salary $550,000, guaranteed compensation $607,078
Benja Cremaschi (on loan Parma): Base salary $425,000, guaranteed compensation $527,500
Yannick Bright: Base salary $385,000, guaranteed compensation $464,192
Noah Allen: Base salary $375,000, guaranteed compensation $434,653
Ian Fray: Base salary $375,000, guaranteed compensation $429,000
Telasco Segovia: Base salary $325,000, guaranteed compensation $360,000
David Ruiz: Base salary $200,000, guaranteed compensation $231,887
Rocco Rios Novo: Base salary $200,000, guaranteed compensation $224,100
Santi Morales: Base salary $130,000, guaranteed compensation $138,333
Luis Barraza: Base salary $113,400, guaranteed compensation $120,900
Israel Boatright: Base salary $113,400, guaranteed compensation $115,400
Tyler Hall: Base salary $113,400, guaranteed compensation $113,400
Ezequiel Abadia-Reda: Base salary $88,025, guaranteed compensation $88,025
Daniel Pinter: Base salary $88,025, guaranteed compensation $88,025
Alex Shaw: Base salary $88,025, guaranteed compensation $88,025
This story was originally published May 12, 2026 at 2:01 PM.