Messi and Son Heung-min Lead the Way in 2025 MLS Salaries
The MLS Players Association released its 2025 salary guide in October, and the latest figures place LAFC star Heung-min Son as the league’s second-highest-paid player, trailing only global icon Lionel Messi.
Son, who joined LAFC ahead of the 2025 campaign, carries a guaranteed compensation figure of $11.15 million. His arrival has not only elevated LAFC’s attacking profile but also reshaped the league’s financial landscape, signaling MLS’s continued push to attract elite global talent during its competitive prime.
Messi remains the league’s top earner at $20.45 million with Inter Miami, a number that continues to set the benchmark for player compensation in North America. Miami also features two additional players in the top 10, underscoring the club’s star-driven roster approach. Sergio Busquets rounds out the top three with $8.78 million in guaranteed compensation.
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Below is the full breakdown of the league’s top 10 highest-paid players for 2025:
Top 10 Highest-Paid MLS Players (2025 Guaranteed Compensation)
| 1 | Lionel Messi | Inter Miami | $20.45 million |
| 2 | Son Heung-min | LAFC | $11.15 million |
| 3 | Sergio Busquets | Inter Miami | $8.78 million |
| 4 | Miguel Almirón | Atlanta United | $7.87 million |
| 5 | Hirving Lozano | San Diego FC | $7.63 million |
| 6 | Emil Forsberg | New York Red Bulls | $6.04 million |
| 7 | Jordi Alba | Inter Miami | $6.00 million |
| 8 | Riqui Puig | LA Galaxy | $5.78 million |
| 9 | Jonathan Bamba | Chicago Fire | $5.58 million |
| 10 | Hany Mukhtar | Nashville SC | $5.31 million |
Between LAFC’s high-profile addition of Son and Inter Miami’s continued financial dominance through its Messi-led core, MLS enters 2025 with one of the most star-laden and internationally recognizable rosters in its history.