Messi is earning $28 million per year with Inter Miami.
Argentine Messi’s financial dominance in the North American league has no historical precedent. With extremely high salaries, no current player in the league even comes close to Messi’s earnings. His nearest rival in terms of highest-paid players is Son Heung-min from the Korean team in Los Angeles. Son Heung-min earns $11 million per year. The gap between Messi’s earnings and his competitors is more than double. This contract was possible only because of the system of designated players and the unprecedented marketing incentives given by the league to the club in Florida. Messi isn’t just setting records on the field; he’s also fundamentally changing the economic model of American football as a whole. The huge difference in earnings clearly shows the unique status of a World Cup champion, turning the regular season of MLS into a global media spectacle.