Los Angeles FC’s Son Heung-min is the second highest-paid player in Major League Soccer behind Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi, according to the latest update provided by the MLS Players’ Association on Wednesday, Oct. 29.
Heung-min earned $11.15 million in guaranteed compensation from LAFC, which acquired him in August with an MLS record transfer fee of $26.5 million.
Heung-min has quickly made an impact since joining MLS after a 10-year run with English Premier League club Tottenham. He won MLS Goal of the Year honors for his first career score, a free kick against FC Dallas on Aug. 23. He scored nine goals with three assists in 10 matches before the MLS Cup Playoffs.
Heung-min, a South Korean star widely regarded as one of the best Asian players of all time, also finished second behind Messi in all-time consumer product sales since joining MLS.
Messi remained the highest-paid player earning $20.45 million for the third straight season. However, that figure does not reflect the three-year contract extension he signed last week.
After leading MLS with 29 goals and 19 assists in 2025, Messi is expected to win MVP for the second consecutive season, and remain the highest-paid player in 2026.
Inter Miami remains the highest-spending club in MLS, guaranteeing $48.97 million to its players. However, the salaries of Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba – the third and seventh highest-paid players in MLS, respectively – will be gone after they retire at the end of the 2025 season.
The Philadelphia Union, which won the Supporters’ Shield in 2025, had the third-lowest salary in MLS at $13.43 million.
Top 10 MLS players guaranteed salaries
Lionel Messi (Inter Miami): $20.45 million
Son Heung-min (LAFC): $11.15 million
Sergio Busquets (Inter Miami): $8.78M
Miguel Almiron (Atlanta United): $7.87 million
Hirving Lozano (San Diego FC): $7.63 million
Emil Forsberg (New York Red Bulls): $6.04 million
Jordi Alba (Inter Miami): $6 million
Riqui Puig (LA Galaxy): $5.78 million
Jonathan Bamba (Chicago Fire): $5.58 million
Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC): $5.31 million
MLS teams guaranteed compensation spending in 2025
Inter Miami: $48.97 million
LAFC: $30.89 million
Atlanta United: $28.48 million
FC Cincinnati: $23.19 million
Chicago Fire: $23.11 million
Nashville SC: $22.44 million
Portland Timbers: $22.44 million
LA Galaxy: $22.26 million
San Diego FC: $22.25 million
New York Red Bulls: $22.07 million
Columbus Crew: $19.22 million
New England Revolution: $19.11 million
Charlotte FC: $19.02 million
New York City FC: $18.84 million
Seattle Sounders: $18.25 million
Vancouver Whitecaps: $17.77 million
Sporting Kansas City: $17.61 million
San Jose Earthquakes: $17.08 million
St. Louis City SC: $16.93 million
Houston Dynamo: $16.77 million
Orlando City: $16.11 million
Austin FC: $15.68 million
Real Salt Lake: $15.66 million
D.C. United: $14.92 million
Colorado Rapids: $14.63 million
Minnesota United: $14.54 million
Toronto FC: $13.65 million
Philadelphia Union: $13.43 million
FC Dallas: $13.35 million
CF Montreal: $12.92 million