Lionel Messi salary, contract at Inter Miami: Argentina star earns more than all but two MLS rosters

Lionel Messi’s arrival at Inter Miami has carved out a new chapter in his iconic career, and the 2022 World Cup winner is now bidding to become a champion in the USA for the first time.

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Messi exploded to life to begin his Inter Miami career, helping the club win its first trophy in the 2023 Leagues Cup. Injuries and fatigue took a toll, however, and the 36-year-old missed key games as Inter Miami missed out on the postseason.

However, his brilliance on the pitch has been clear, and he helped Inter Miami to a strong start in 2024 — one they continued in his mid-season injury absence to claim the Supporters’ Shield and enter the playoffs as favourites for glory.

Of course, securing the services of a player of Messi’s standing rarely comes cheap. Indeed, according to figures released in May 2026 and detailed by The Athletic and New York Times, the former Barcelona star’s salary is greater than the guaranteed compensation totals of 28 different MLS teams.

With the annual release of the Major League Soccer compensation information, Messi’s 2025 base salary at Inter Miami is now known, and the soccer world patiently awaits updates to this information now that he has signed on for two further seasons in South Florida.

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Lionel Messi salary, contract at Inter Miami

Messi signed a two-and-a-half-year contract at Inter Miami in 2023, bringing him up to the end of the 2025 season, with a reported option to extend for another 12 months.

He then signed an extension on October 23, 2025 which reportedly sees him tied to the club through the end of the 2027 season.

According to the 2025 MLS salary guide, Messi’s base salary was $12 million for that season, with a total guaranteed compensation of just over $20.4 million — $20,446,667 to be exact. That was in line with his compensation for the previous season.

That figure jumped significantly in 2026, having signed a new contract with Inter Miami. His 2026 compensation, as released by the MLS Players’ Association, was $28.33 million, buoyed by a base salary of $25 million.

Those figures make him the highest-paid player in Major League Soccer by a massive margin, and means he is earning more than the entire roster of 28 of the 30 MLS clubs.

The next-highest paid player was Heung-min Son of LAFC, with a base salary of just under $10.4 million million and a total guaranteed compensation just over $11 million. Third is Messi’s Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul, who earns $7.6 million base and $9.7 million guaranteed compensation. The top five is rounded out by Hirving Lozano (San Diego FC, $9.3 million) and Miguel Almiron (Atlanta United, $7.9 million).

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Messi reportedly also received an ownership stake in the club as part of his contract, with advertising and image rights talks ongoing with Apple, Adidas, and others. According to The Miami Herald back in June 2023, when factoring in all aspects of the deal beyond just purely his salary, his initial contract was worth $125-$150 million (£100m-£120m) in total, broken down at around $4.1-$5m (£3.3-£4m) per month.

MORE: Every trophy Lionel Messi has won throughout his club and international career

Lionel Messi on football’s top salary list

Based on the numbers surrounding Messi’s contract, he took a substantial drop from his PSG wages but still earns more than the majority of European stars.

In comparison to players heading to Saudi Arabia, Messi’s contract is significantly reduced, with his ranking set to drop further as more stars join Cristiano Ronaldo and company.

According to Forbes, Ronaldo is the highest-paid athlete of 2025 with earnings of $275 million, marking the second straight year he is the highest-paid athlete in the world. Messi is second on the list at $135 million — his $60 million listed salary likely includes the money he receives from outside just his MLS salary.

Is Lionel Messi worth the money?

Despite his exorbitant price, Lionel Messi been more than worth that money, leading Inter Miami to consistent new heights time and time again.

He helped the club to its first-ever trophy in his first season, leading them to the 2023 Leagues Cup, and with it, a first-ever spot in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

Then, in the 2024 season, he led MLS in goal contributions despite playing roughly half the fixtures. That spurred Inter Miami to its first-ever Supporters’ Shield handed out to the regular season champions, and with it a first-ever  home playoff game — which they won, beating Atlanta United 2-1 in the club’s first ever postseason victory.

After winning the 2025 MLS Golden Boot with 29 goals in 28 regular season appearances, can he lead the club to its first ever MLS Cup title?

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