When it comes to the beautiful game, the numbers on the paycheck can be just as jaw-dropping as a last-minute game-winner. The MLS Players Association has released its latest salary data, and once again, Lionel Messi sits comfortably at the top of the earnings table. The Inter Miami superstar is pulling in a staggering $28.3 million this season—more than double the next highest earner. And that figure doesn't even include his cut from Apple TV streaming subscriptions or jersey sales through Adidas and Fanatics.

Trailing Messi is LAFC's Son Heung-min, who earns $11.2 million, followed by Rodrigo De Paul at $9.7 million. These numbers offer a fascinating peek into how MLS clubs build their rosters. For context, only one team in the entire league spends more on its whole squad than Miami pays Messi alone. Meanwhile, the two lowest wage bills belong to the teams at the bottom of each conference: Sporting Kansas City ($12.4 million) and the Philadelphia Union ($11.7 million). It's a stark reminder that in soccer, you often get what you pay for.

But not every big contract is a winning bet. Take San Diego FC's situation with Hirving "Chucky" Lozano. The 30-year-old is guaranteed $9.3 million this year—almost triple the salary of their reigning MVP finalist Anders Dreyer ($3.6 million)—yet he hasn't played a single minute. After benching Lozano for behavioral reasons during the postseason, the club's sporting director publicly declared he'd never play for San Diego again. The problem? They haven't actually moved him. That public comment has become a negotiating blunder, giving potential buyers all the leverage. Lozano's contract, signed before the current sporting director even joined, runs through 2028.

Whether you're tracking the league's elite earners or the cautionary tales of mismanaged wages, one thing is clear: in MLS, the salary sheet tells a story of ambition, risk, and sometimes, regret.