A constellation of stars in MLS
Messi and Busquets join a host of footballers who are continuing to light up the sky in the USA. Vela, Riqui Puig, Insigne, Chiellini, Chicharito...
Miami is all decked out to welcome the arrival of their latest superstar, Leo Messi. The Argentinian will land tonight in the United States to embark on his new adventure in the MLS. He will have Sergio Busquets in tow. Both players will be presented to the fanbase this Sunday in what is sure to be a spectacular ceremony. It’s not every day that the worst team in the league gets their hands on a seven-time Ballon d’Or winner.
This week in Miami is Messi week, but the truth is that neither the Argentinian legend nor Busquets will be alone in striking out for pastures new on this side of the Atlantic. While there are rumors that David Beckham and Jorge Mas might land another big signing in Jordi Alba, even if they don’t Major League Soccer (MLS) is already glowing with stars. Some names that not too long ago were chanted in the stands of the world’s biggest stadiums.
Several soccer stars who exploded on the European scene have now made the leap to the United States and Canada. Perhaps the pioneer for this route is Carlos Vela. The Mexican has been in MLS since 2018 wearing the colors of reigning champions Los Angeles FC.
Vela is not the only name known to the general public. In the past Beckham, Pirlo, Matthäus, Lampard, Henri, Gerrard, Schweinsteiger, Kaká, Ibrahimovic, Nesta, Giovinco, Villa, and Drogba stood out in the United States. Now there is a new batch of players who are lighting up the sky in the MLS: Riqui Puig, Chiellini, Insigne, Shaqiri, Héctor Herrera, Bernadeschi, Douglas Costa, Chicharito, Lodeiro, Altidore, Benteke. Even the last newcomer: the Finn Pukki, has been wooed by Minnesota United.
The highest paid
MLS is a franchise-based league with no promotion or relegation. It currently has 29 teams divided into two conferences. Due to the transparency that characterizes the competition, the MLS Players Association publishes the salary of all players as well as reporting the figures that players receive for Guaranteed Compensation (which includes other types of income, such as the amount that agents receive and marketing bonuses).
| Player | Equipment | Salary (Millions) |
|---|---|---|
| Shaqiri | Chicago Fire | $8.15 |
| Insigne | Toronto F.C. | $7.5 |
| Chicharito | LA Galaxy | $7.45 |
| Bernardeschi | Toronto F.C. | $6.3 |
| Driussi | Austin F.C. | $6 |
| Hector Herrera | Houston Dynamo | $5.25 |
| Douglas Costa | LA Galaxy | $4.5 |
| Araújo | Atlanta | $4.48 |
| Benteke | D.C. United | $4.43 |
| Martinez | Inter Miami | $4.39 |
In this ranking, the Swiss Xherdan Shaqiri (Chicago Fire) is the highest paid at $8.15 million. The second in that list, until the emoluments of Messi and Busquets are known, is the Italian Lorenzo Insigne (Toronto FC) with $7.5 million. Third place on the podium goes to another veteran in a thousand battles: Javier Hernández Chicharito (LA Galaxy) at $7.45. The Mexican, formerly of Real Madrid and Seville, has just suffered a serious injury to his right knee that will keep him in dry dock for several months.
It is surprising that the fifth highest paid does not have as high a profile as the rest of the stars in the competition. That honor goes to Sebastián Driussi (Austin FC), who receives an income of $6 million with a more humble career behind him (River Plate, Zenit). Inter Miami, the future home of Messi and Busquets, currently has Venezuelan Josef Martínez at the top of their pay scale at $4.39 million. Messi and Busquets will surely surpass that number as they take their place in the constellation of stars that are MLS franchise players.