Lionel Messi's basic salary at Inter Miami has reportedly been revealed.
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The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner has emerged as the highest-paid player in Major League Soccer (MLS), boasting a guaranteed compensation of $20 446 667 (R362 million).
This equates to more than $1 million (R17.7 million) per match for the 19 regular-season games he played, with some appearances coming off the bench.
However, Messi's impact extends far beyond his on-field contributions for Inter Miami.
Front Office Sports estimates his total earnings to be closer to $150 million (R2.6 billion) annually, factoring in revenue from adidas kit sales and Apple TV streaming subscriptions.
The second-highest paid player in the MLS is Toronto FC winger Lorenzo Insigne, who earns $15.4 million (R272.8 million) a season, while no other player exceeds the $10 million (R177.2 million) mark for the 2024 campaign.
The MLS Players Association released the salary figures at the end of last week, revealing that 22 players earned over $3 million (R53.1 million) in guaranteed compensation (which includes basic wages and bonuses), and 47 players received more than $2 million (R35.4 million).
There are currently 910 professional players in the league, with 126 of them earning $1 million or more.
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The base salary for MLS players stands at $71 401 (R1.2 million), with 75 players earning this amount.
By Kurt Buckerfield
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