Lionel Messi Tops MLS' Highest-Paid Players List with League-Record $20M Guaranteed

The MLS Players Association released its annual list of each player's annual base salary and guaranteed compensation, and Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi is No. 1 in both categories.

Per ESPN's Jeff Carlisle, both Messi's $12 million base salary and $20,446,667.00 guaranteed compensation stand as league records.

However, Messi's total compensation is actually in the $50 million to $60 million range, per comments made to Jorge Mas made to Iker Seisdedos of Spanish newspaper El País in July. That compensation includes a cut from MLS' Apple TV contract.

Messi has helped deliver record crowds at games. Inter Miami now has more than 15 million Instagram followers after having just over 1 million in June. Matches on MLS Season Pass have seen record viewership with Messi in Miami as well.

That's to be expected for a seven-time Ballon d'Or winner, four-time Champions League victor and reigning World Cup champion. And with that, it's certainly understandable for one of the best players in the sport's history to get paid at an unprecedented level in MLS.

The league should continue to benefit from Messi's presence. He's under contract with Inter Miami through 2025, and there's an option for an extra year as well.

Tens of millions will still go Messi's way, but the superstar is well-deserving of that compensation given his tremendous impact on the league since making his debut in July.