LAFC's Son Heung-Min is Major League Soccer's second highest-paid player behind Lionel Messi.

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

  1. Lionel Messi (Inter Miami): $20.45 million
  2. Son Heung-min (LAFC): $11.15 million
  3. Sergio Busquets (Inter Miami): $8.78M
  4. Miguel Almiron (Atlanta United): $7.87 million
  5. Hirving Lozano (San Diego FC): $7.63 million
  6. Emil Forsberg (New York Red Bulls): $6.04 million
  7. Jordi Alba (Inter Miami): $6 million
  8. Riqui Puig (LA Galaxy): $5.78 million
  9. Jonathan Bamba (Chicago Fire): $5.58 million
  10. Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC): $5.31 million

MLS teams guaranteed compensation spending in 2025

  1. Inter Miami: $48.97 million
  2. LAFC: $30.89 million
  3. Atlanta United: $28.48 million
  4. FC Cincinnati: $23.19 million
  5. Chicago Fire: $23.11 million
  6. Nashville SC: $22.44 million
  7. Portland Timbers: $22.44 million
  8. LA Galaxy: $22.26 million
  9. San Diego FC: $22.25 million
  10. New York Red Bulls: $22.07 million
  11. Columbus Crew: $19.22 million
  12. New England Revolution: $19.11 million
  13. Charlotte FC: $19.02 million
  14. New York City FC: $18.84 million
  15. Seattle Sounders: $18.25 million
  16. Vancouver Whitecaps: $17.77 million
  17. Sporting Kansas City: $17.61 million
  18. San Jose Earthquakes: $17.08 million
  19. St. Louis City SC: $16.93 million
  20. Houston Dynamo: $16.77 million
  21. Orlando City: $16.11 million
  22. Austin FC: $15.68 million
  23. Real Salt Lake: $15.66 million
  24. D.C. United: $14.92 million
  25. Colorado Rapids: $14.63 million
  26. Minnesota United: $14.54 million
  27. Toronto FC: $13.65 million
  28. Philadelphia Union: $13.43 million
  29. FC Dallas: $13.35 million
  30. CF Montreal: $12.92 million

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLS salaries 2025: Messi, Inter Miami top list while Son Heung-Min, LAFC rank No. 2

Reporting by Safid Deen, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect