Messi will earn just over $20.4 million in annual salary from his MLS contract with Inter Miami, the Major League Soccer Players Association said on Wednesday.
Messi earns more than all but three other MLS teams and twice as much as all Orlando City players combined.
The players association said in its 2023 salary update that the 36-year-old star will earn a base salary of $12 million and total guaranteed compensation of $20,446,667.
The figures cover Messi’s earnings from his Major League Soccer (MLS) contract, which runs until the 2025 season, including any marketing bonuses and agent fees. They do not take into account any additional agreements with the team or its affiliates, nor any performance bonuses.
He has the highest total salary in Major League Soccer, followed by Toronto’s Lorenzo Insigne ($15.4 million) and Chicago’s Lorenzo Insigne.
In terms of total guaranteed salary, the Miami Heat tops the league with $39.4 million in salary, followed by the Toronto Raptors ($32.3 million), the Los Angeles Galaxy ($25 million) and Los Angeles FC ($20.8 million).
Messi’s salary is more than double the league-low Orlando City’s $9.6 million salary. He accounts for 4% of total MLS compensation of $501.9 million.
Messi started 3 times and played 5 times in the Miami Heat League, playing a total of 283 minutes and scoring 1 goal. He also helped the team win the first League Cup, scoring 10 goals in 7 games.
Josef Martinez is Miami’s second-highest paid player at $4,391,667.
Two of Messi’s former Barcelona teammates who join him in Miami earn significantly less. Midfielder Sergio Busquets has an annual salary of US$1.5 million, with a guaranteed salary of US$1.775 million; defender Jordi Alba has an annual salary of US$1 million, with a guaranteed salary of US$1.25 million.
Other notable MLS midsummer acquisitions include Minnesota forward Timu Pukki ($3.2 million salary, $3.55 million total compensation), Nashville forward Sam Suric ($2.5 million, $2,907,639), Columbus forward Diego Rossi ($2,625,000, $2,677,000) and Atalanta midfielder Saba Lobzanidze ($2,052,000, $2,150,750).