Unsurprisingly, Lionel Messi leads the pack in the Major League Soccer (MLS) salary rankings. Since joining Inter Miami in July, the Argentine superstar has made a roaring start, netting eleven goals for his new club. 

Although he faced injuries in recent games due to muscle fatigue, his journey in Florida has been nothing short of spectacular. It has been revealed that Messi is the highest-paid player in the MLS, a status befitting his stature. The seven-time Ballon d'Or recipient, touted as the favorite for his eighth title on October 30, earns a staggering amount with Inter Miami. In fact, his salary surpasses the entire payroll of several other teams.

The MLS Players Association (MLSPA) released the salary details of players from all 29 teams. Messi, as expected, ranks at the top. His two-and-a-half-year contract guarantees him a basic annual salary of 12 million dollars (equivalent to 11.4 million euros). With all bonuses included, such as performance incentives, marketing bonuses, and agent fees, this figure goes up to a whopping 20 million dollars annually (19.4 million euros). 

Messi's earnings dwarf those of other top players like Italy's Lorenzo Insigne from Toronto, who earns an annual 14.6 million euros, and Switzerland's Xherdan Shaqiri from Chicago, with 7.7 million euros. Rounding off the top five are Mexico's Javier Hernandez from LA Galaxy with 7 million euros and Italy's Federico Bernardeschi from Toronto with 5.9 million euros. 

Messi's teammates at Miami, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba, earn significantly less, with annual salaries of 1.6 million euros and 1.2 million euros respectively. Intriguingly, Messi's paycheck is double the total payroll of Orlando City, which stands at 9.1 million euros, the lowest in the league.