MIAMI — It remains to be seen whether Lionel Messi will lift an MLS Cup trophy with his Inter Miami teammates or win league MVP, but one thing is certain: The Argentine legend will finish the 2024 season as the highest-paid player in MLS history, according to the latest league salary guide from the MLS Players Association, which was released on Thursday afternoon.

Messi will make $20,446,667 in guaranteed compensation this year, with a base salary of $12 million in his first full season with Inter Miami. His salary exceeds the entire payrolls of 22 other MLS teams.

Messi’s total package with Inter Miami over his two-and-a-half year contract is valued at $150 million, which includes equity in the club upon his retirement. His contract runs through the end of the 2025 season with an option for 2026.

The salary figures reported do not include Messi’s major sponsorship deals with Apple TV, adidas, Anheuser Busch, Hard Rock International, and dozens of other companies. It is no surprise that Messi and his former FC Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba are the four highest-paid players on the Inter Miami roster.

Busquets’ guaranteed compensation is $8.8 million, followed by Alba and Suarez at $1.5 million.

Miami, which won the Supporters’ Shield and is the top seed heading into the playoff opener against Atlanta on Friday, led the league with a record $41.7 million payroll. Toronto came in second at $31.8 million, followed by Los Angeles FC ($22.1 million), the LA Galaxy ($22 million) and Nashville ($21.9 million).

Behind Messi on the top 10 MLS salaries: Lorenzo Insigne (Toronto FC, $15.4 million), Busquets (Inter Miami, $8.8 million), Sebastian Driussi (Austin FC, $6.7 million), Federico Bernandeschi (Toronto FC, $6.3 million), Emil Forsberg (New York Red Bulls, $6 million), Hector Herrera (Houston Dynamo, $5.2 million), Hany Mukktar (Nashville SC, $5.2 million), Golden Boot winner Christian Benteke (D.C. United $4.69 million), and Carles Gil (New England Revolution, $4.4 million).

Olivier Giroud has $3,675,000 in annualized total compensation under the contract he signed to join Los Angeles FC in July.

Here are the salaries of all the Inter Miami players (Highest to Lowest by base salary). The Guaranteed Compensation includes signing bonuses and other guaranteed payments averaged over the length of the contract:

Lionel Messi (right wing) Base Salary: $12,000,000, Guaranteed Compensation: $20,446,667

Sergio Busquets (defensive midfielder) Base Salary: $8,499,996, Guaranteed Compensation: $8,774,996

Luis Suarez (center forward) Base Salary: $1,500,000, Guaranteed Compensation: $1,500,000

Jordi Alba (left back) Base Salary: $1,250,000, Guaranteed Compensation: $1,500,000

Julian Gressel (right midfielder) Base Salary: $1,092,069, Guaranteed Compensation: $1,092,069

Diego Gomez (midfielder) Base Salary: $500,000, Guaranteed Compensation: $504,167

Nicolás Freire (center back) Base Salary: $400,000, Guaranteed Compensation: $1,000,000

Sergiy Kryvtsov (center back) Base Salary: $750,000, Guaranteed Compensation: $809,000

Facundo Farías (attacking midfielder) Base Salary: $650,000, Guaranteed Compensation: $675,000

Leonardo Campana (center forward) Base Salary: $600,000, Guaranteed Compensation: $722,333

Diego Gómez (central midfielder) Base Salary: $500,000, Guaranteed Compensation: $504,167

Nicolas Freire (center back) Base Salary: $400,000, Guaranteed Compensation: $1 million

Tomás Avilés (center back) Base Salary: $384,996, Guaranteed Compensation: $412,496

Drake Callender (goalkeeper) Base Salary: $349,992, Guaranteed Compensation: $405,909

Emerson Rodríguez (right wing) Base Salary: $345,000, Guaranteed Compensation: $380,700

Robert Taylor (left wing) Base Salary: $300,000, Guaranteed Compensation: $326,900

Franco Negri (left back) Base Salary: $250,000, Guaranteed Compensation: $342,500

Matías Rojas (attacking midfielder) Base Salary: $150,000, Guaranteed Compensation: $516,667

Marcelo Weigandt (right back) Base Salary: $150,000, Guaranteed Compensation: $384,708

Federico Redondo (defensive midfield) Base Salary: $150,000, Guaranteed Compensation: $255,000

David Martinez (center back) Base Salary: $150,000, Guaranteed Compensation: $289.839

Ian Fray (center back) Base Salary: $125,000, Guaranteed Compensation: $125,000

Benja Cremaschi (central midfielder) Base Salary: $99,716, Guaranteed Compensation: $202,216

CJ dos Santos (goalkeeper) Base Salary: $89,716, Guaranteed Compensation: $95,016

Noah Allen (left back) Base Salary: $89,716, Guaranteed Compensation: $91,383

Oscar Ustari (goalkeeper) Base Salary: $89,716, Guaranteed Compensation: $89,716.

Felipe Valencia (right wing) Base Salary: $89,716, Guaranteed Compensation: $89,716

Ryan Sailor (center back) Base Salary: $89,716, Guaranteed Compensation: $89,716

Santiago Morales (attacking midfielder) Base Salary: $71,401, Guaranteed Compensation: $79,734

Yannick Bright (right back) Base Salary: $71,401, Guaranteed Compensation: $74,426

Israel Boatwright (right back) Base Salary: $71,401, Guaranteed Compensation: $73,401

David Ruiz (midfielder) Base Salary: $71,401, Guaranteed Compensation: $73,401

Leo Afonso (center forward) Base Salary: $71,401, Guaranteed Compensation: $71,401

Tyler Hall (center back) Base Salary: $71,401, Guaranteed Compensation: $71,401

Lawson Sunderland (central midfield) Base Salary: $71,401, Guaranteed Compensation: $71,401

Cole Jensen (goalkeeper) Base Salary: $71,401, Guaranteed Compensation: $71,401

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