Matchday

Lionel Messi leads MLSPA updated 2023 player salaries guide

23_Salaries

The MLS Players Association (MLSPA) has released its 2023 Salary Guide, featuring salary information for all MLS players under contract as of September 15, 2023.

The new No. 1? Inter Miami CF superstar Lionel Messi, who formally joined the club in mid-July after departing French side Paris Saint-Germain.

The MLSPA guide contains players’ current annualized base salary and their annualized average guaranteed compensation. Below is a top 10, followed by info for other big summertime signings.

MLSPA: Top 10 MLS player compensation (2023)
Player
Club
Base Salary
Guaranteed Compensation
1. Lionel Messi
Inter Miami
$12,000,000.00
$20,446,667.00
2. Lorenzo Insigne
Toronto FC
$7,500,000.00
$15,400,000.00
3. Xherdan Shaqiri
Chicago Fire
$7,350,000.00
$8,153,000.00
4. Chicharito
LA Galaxy
$6,000,000.00
$7,443,750.00
5. Federico Bernardeschi
Toronto FC
$3,125,000.00
$6,295,381.00
6. Sebastián Driussi
Austin FC
$3,800,000.00
$6,022,500.00
7. Héctor Herrera
Houston Dynamo
$4,750,000.00
$5,246,875.00
8. Douglas Costa
LA Galaxy
$3,000,000.00
$4,508,333.00
9. Christian Benteke
D.C. United
$4,250,000.00
$4,432,778.00
10. Josef Martínez
Inter Miami
$4,000,000.00
$4,391,667.00

Summertime signings

Messi isn't the only high-impact signing who arrived in MLS this summer. Minnesota United FC striker Teemu Pukki and Nashville SC striker Sam Surridge also arrived on Designated Player deals.

Below are some of these newcomers' compensation, per the MLSPA (listed in order).

  • Base Salary: $12,000,000.00 
  • Guaranteed Compensation: $20,446,667.00
  • Base Salary: $3,200,000.00    
  • Guaranteed Compensation: $3,550,000.00
  • Base Salary: $2,500,000.00    
  • Guaranteed Compensation: $2,907,639.00
  • Base Salary: $2,625,000.00    
  • Guaranteed Compensation: $2,677,000.00
  • Base Salary: $2,052,000.00    
  • Guaranteed Compensation: $2,150,750.00
  • Base Salary: $1,899,996.00    
  • Guaranteed Compensation: $2,088,746.00
  • Base Salary: $1,500,000.00    
  • Guaranteed Compensation: $1,775,000.00
  • Base Salary: $1,436,338.00
  • Guaranteed Compensation: $1,436,338.00
  • Base Salary: $1,100,000.00    
  • Guaranteed Compensation: $1,427,708.00
  • Base Salary: $1,000,000.00    
  • Guaranteed Compensation: $1,250,000.00
  • Base Salary: $720,000.00
  • Guaranteed Compensation: $1,127,600.00