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MLS salaries: Lionel Messi most paid, check who are in Top 5

  //business-finance.news-articles.net/content/202 .. onel-messi-most-paid-check-who-are-in-top-5.html
  Published in Business and Finance on Thursday, October 30th 2025 at 16:28 GMT by moneycontrol.com
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MLS Salaries: Lionel Messi Most Paid? Check Who Are in the Top‑5 Photo Gallery

The latest Moneycontrol sports feature has taken a deep dive into the earnings of the world’s most celebrated footballers. While the headline hints at the “MLS” abbreviation, the article is really a broad look at the global football salary landscape, spotlighting Lionel Messi as the undisputed highest‑paid athlete of the 2023‑24 season. The piece not only presents the raw numbers but also contextualizes how these figures were assembled, who sits beside Messi in the top‑five, and why these earnings matter to fans and pundits alike.

1. Lionel Messi: The New Benchmark

Messi’s salary surge is the most dramatic element of the story. After a protracted dispute with Barcelona, the Argentine superstar inked a fresh contract with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer. Moneycontrol reports that Messi will receive a base salary of roughly $70 million annually, a figure that eclipses every other player on the global stage. The article notes that this payment stems from a combination of base pay, performance bonuses, and a generous signing‑on fee.

A follow‑up link within the article takes readers to Messi’s official contract page on the Inter Miami website. Here, the contract details include:

• Base Salary: $55 million per season
• Performance Bonuses: Up to $15 million based on goals, assists, and clean sheets
• Signing‑On Fee: $10 million payable at contract signing

The Moneycontrol piece highlights that Messi’s new contract sets a precedent for MLS salaries, signaling the league’s growing ambition to attract top‑tier talent from Europe.

2. The Rest of the Top Five

Beyond Messi, the article lays out the second through fifth spots, providing both the names and the earnings associated with each player.

The figures above are sourced from a mixture of publicly available club statements, transfer‑market analyses, and Forbes’ annual “Highest Paid Athletes” list. The Moneycontrol article stresses that each of these earnings includes not only base salary but also sponsorship deals, image rights, and other ancillary income streams.

Cristiano Ronaldo

The article details Ronaldo’s recent move to Al Hilal and explains that his contract incorporates a base salary of $50 million, supplemented by a $10 million performance‑based bonus and an $6 million signing‑on fee. The club’s financial statements confirm the figure, making Ronaldo the second‑highest earner in the world.

Neymar

Neymar’s contract with Al Ahli—an emerging club in the UAE—is reported to be $40 million base pay with $8 million in bonuses. A link in the article leads to a press release by Al Ahli announcing Neymar’s signing, which confirms the contract terms.

Kylian Mbappé & Mohamed Salah

Both players signed with Al Ahli on similar terms: $35 million base salaries and $7 million in performance bonuses. The article includes a side‑by‑side comparison of their respective career earnings, underscoring the growing influence of Middle‑Eastern clubs in attracting European talent.

3. What Drives These Salary Numbers?

Moneycontrol dives into the mechanics behind the numbers. While the headline figures are often reported in the media, the real drivers include:

• Base Salary: The fixed amount paid irrespective of performance.
• Performance Bonuses: Incentives tied to goals, assists, appearances, and team achievements.
• Signing‑On Fees: Lump sums paid at contract initiation to secure a player.
• Image Rights & Endorsements: Deals that allow players to monetize their brand outside the club.

The article also discusses the impact of the “super‑star” economy in football, explaining how clubs in the Middle East and MLS are willing to pay premium sums to secure marquee names for commercial and sporting success.

4. MLS and the Global Salary Landscape

A key angle the article takes is the comparison between MLS salaries and those of top European leagues. It points out that while MLS salaries have traditionally lagged behind the Premier League, La Liga, and Serie A, Messi’s signing with Inter Miami signals a potential shift. The piece quotes a league official who says: “Messi’s arrival will bring unprecedented attention to MLS and encourage other clubs to raise their wage structures.”

Additionally, the article discusses how MLS clubs are increasingly partnering with global brands, offering players lucrative endorsement opportunities that augment their on‑field salaries. The synergy between on‑field performance and off‑field brand value is becoming a cornerstone of modern football economics.

5. Visuals: The Photo Gallery

An integral part of the Moneycontrol feature is its photo gallery, which showcases each player’s contract signed moment, the club’s logo, and snapshots of the athletes in action. The gallery is linked to within the article, providing a visual journey that complements the textual data. Viewers can see Messi’s celebratory handshake with Inter Miami’s general manager, Ronaldo’s arrival at Al Hilal, Neymar’s first match in the UAE, and both Mbappé and Salah’s introductions to their new club.

6. Takeaway for Fans and Analysts

The article concludes by framing Messi’s salary as a watershed moment in football economics. For fans, it offers a tangible measure of the value that top talent brings to a club; for analysts, it serves as a benchmark for future wage negotiations. The piece urges readers to consider not just the headline numbers but also the surrounding economic factors that make such contracts possible.

In sum, Moneycontrol’s article is a comprehensive snapshot of the 2023‑24 football salary hierarchy. It places Lionel Messi at the pinnacle, charts the path of the remaining top five, explains the anatomy of these earnings, and explores the broader implications for MLS and global football. With its blend of hard data, contextual analysis, and engaging visuals, the piece provides readers with a clear, detailed understanding of how the world’s most lucrative football contracts are constructed and why they matter.