Lionel Messi tops MLS salary list with £430,000 weekly wage

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi leads the 2026 Major League Soccer (MLS) salary list, earning $545,000 per week, according to data compiled by SalaryLeaks, Capology, Spotrac, and various media reports. Inter Miami midfielder Casemiro and new Chicago Fire signing Robert Lewandowski follow in joint-second place, each earning $325,000 weekly. Son Heung-min of Los Angeles FC ranks fourth with a weekly salary of $214,000. Rodrigo De Paul, also of Inter Miami, sits fifth at $186,000 per week. Atlanta United’s Miguel Almirón and LA Galaxy’s Hirving Lozano each earn $115,000, followed by Nashville SC duo Sam Surridge at $114,000 and Hany Mukhtar at $104,000. The list continues with Emil Forsberg ($103,000), Josh Sargent ($101,000), Vancouver Whitecaps’ Thomas Müller ($99,000), and Riqui Puig ($98,000). Jonathan Bamba and Aleksey Miranchuk earn $96,000 each, while Carles Gil ($95,000), Joseph Paintsil ($86,000), and Timo Werner ($82,000) also feature. Denis Bouanga and Kévin Denkey round out the top 20 with $76,000 and $73,000 respectively. Messi recently returned to Inter Miami training following Argentina’s defeat to Spain in the World Cup final in New Jersey. The forward had previously spoken of his "immense pain" following the loss and missed Miami’s matches against Chicago and Montreal, as well as the All-Star game in Charlotte, to care for his father, who passed away on Saturday after a long illness. Inter Miami has bolstered its squad with the addition of Casemiro alongside Messi and Luis Suárez, while Lewandowski has joined Chicago Fire following his tenure at Barcelona.