The Rich List: These are the highest-paid players in MLS right now
The MLS continues to grow, and so do player salaries in the league. Here are the 10 highest-paid players according to the MLS Players Association's 2023 salary guide.
Not surprisingly, it is Inter Miami's Lionel Messi who tops the list.
The Argentinian and former FC Barcelona star takes a guaranteed annual salary of $20,446,667.
In second place is Lorenzo Insigne (Toronto FC).
The Italian earns $15,400,000 per year guaranteed.
The podium is rounded off by Xherdan Shaqiri, who now plays for Chicago Fire.
The Swiss dribbler has to settle for almost half of Insigne's salary at $8,153,000.
In fourth place is Javier Hernandez or 'Chicharito' of the LA Galaxy.
The Mexican striker has to settle for $7,443,750.
That's still more than Toronto FC's Federico Bernardeschi in fifth place.
The former Juventus player earns more than a $1 million less than Chicarito, with $6,295,381.
Next up is Austin FC's Sebastián Driussi.
The Argentinian makes slightly less than Bernardeschi, coming in at a guaranteed $6,022,500 a year.
In seventh place is Héctor Herrera of the Houston Dynamo.
The Mexican takes $5,246,875 a year guaranteed.
In eighth place is another LA Galaxy player, Douglas Costa.
The former Bayern Munich player earns $4,508,333 per year.
Ninth is Christian Benteke (D.C. United).
The Belgian pokcets slightly less than Douglas Costa, at $4,432,778 a year.
Rounding off the top 10 is Lionel Messi's team-mate Josef Martínez.
The Venezuelan still earns an impressive $4,391,667 a year.