The 21 Highest-Paid MLS Players in 2025 [Ranked]

In summary, the MLS is growing into a strong league that is vying with the Saudi Pro League to draw well-known players and upend the football industry.
Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Heung-min Son are the most paid players in Major League Soccer.
Messi’s position as a worldwide celebrity will be cemented with an eye-watering $12 million salary every year, in addition to other incentives and sponsorship deals.
Major League Soccer, or MLS, is a league that is moving up the rankings and is almost certainly among the top 10 leagues in the world.

In their fight to become the largest league outside of Europe, the MLS and the Saudi Pro League are vying for the services of well-known players. As the Kingdom attempts to upend the football industry, we have witnessed the four major Saudi clubs—Al-Nassr, Al Hilal, Al-Ittihad, and Al-Ahli—target players from the top leagues.

The MLS was the place to go if you wanted to become a star outside of Europe and make a lot of money before the Middle East saw a lot of investment. Among the players the MLS was able to sign were David Beckham, Andrea Pirlo, Wayne Rooney, Thierry Henry, and Kaka.

According to Capology, these are the highest-paid players in the MLS right now. Just a quick reminder that we will only be using their base pay. Other stipulations or endorsements that might be in their contracts are not listed here.

21–11

The lowest earner on this list is £2.3 million-per-year Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, who, despite stints with Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, now makes his living in New York with the Red Bulls – a respectable career path for someone who was once an unknown quantity at Stoke City.

Ryan Gauld, earning £200,000 more each year, is another well-known name. His move to Sporting was intended to unlock his potential after he was dubbed the “Scottish Messi” in 2012. Instead, he went through a succession of loan stints before settling happily in Vancouver at the age of 29, earning somewhat less than £2.6 million per year.

Also in the 21-11 section are USA international Walker Zimmerman, failed Tottenham wonderkid Carles Gil, and Hertha Berlin’s second-youngest debutant, Hany Mukhtar, who has 93 goals and 56 assists in 206 Nashville SC games.

10Christian Benteke

£3.3 million per year

Benteke has scored 86 goals in 10 Premier League seasons for clubs like Aston Villa, Liverpool, and Crystal Palace. The Belgian international moved from Selhurst Park to the United States capital and has quickly established himself as a fan favourite at Audi Field.

Despite having only played under Wayne Rooney for a brief time, Benteke’s life is going well, as the 34-year-old has scored 47 goals in 93 MLS appearances while earning £3.3 million each year.

9Jonathan Bamba

£3.6 million per year

Jonathan Bamba, a 27-year-old winger from Ligue 1 side Lille, joined LAFC in January 2024 after scoring 38 goals in 178 games. He made a quick impression, scoring in his debut against Portland after only 17 minutes.

In his first MLS season, Bamba played 2,412 minutes in 30 games (26 starts), scoring six goals and nine assists while creating 67 opportunities, the third-most on the squad. His 2025 season took off even further, with eight goals and 11 assists in 28 games, giving him All-Star honors and a berth in the MLS Best XI.

With 14 goals and 20 assists in two seasons, Bamba is one of LAFC’s most productive acquisitions, his pace and vision redefining the club’s left side as he proves worth every penny of his £3.6 million annual salary.