Argentine football legend Lionel Messi has once again claimed the top spot on the Major League Soccer salary list, this time with a significant pay raise that puts him in a league of his own — quite literally.
According to media reports, the Inter Miami star’s base annual salary has climbed to $25 million, with his total guaranteed compensation — including bonuses and other benefits — reaching $28.3 million. That figure is more than double what the league’s second highest-paid player earns, making Messi’s financial dominance in MLS just as impressive as his performances on the pitch.
Figures released by the MLS Players Association confirm that Messi, who joined Inter Miami back in 2023, is contracted to stay with the club until the end of the 2028 season. Since arriving in Miami, the 38-year-old has completely transformed the league’s global profile, drawing massive attention, record-breaking viewership and a surge in shirt sales and ticket demand across the entire competition.
On the field, Messi has been nothing short of extraordinary, scoring 59 goals in just 64 appearances for Inter Miami — a record that speaks for itself.
Life After Football — Owner, Not Coach
Away from the salary headlines, Messi has also been speaking openly about his plans once he hangs up his boots. Rather than moving into coaching, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner says he wants to follow in the footsteps of Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham and become a club owner himself.
“I don’t see myself as a coach,” Messi told Argentine streaming channel Luzu TV. “I want to have my own club, start from the bottom and make it big. Being able to give kids the opportunity to develop and achieve something important. If I had to choose, that would appeal to me more.”
For a man who has spent his entire career rewriting records, building a club from the ground up sounds like exactly the kind of challenge Messi would relish.
