How much do Busquets, Alba, Puig... etc earn in MLS? Spanish players’ salaries revealed
The MLS Soccer Players Association (MLSPA) released its annual breakdown of the salaries of all the soccer players competing in Major League Soccer.
Like every year, and in an unusual exercise of transparency in the world of soccer, the MLSPA (MLS Soccer Players Association) made public the salaries of all the players currently involved in Major League Soccer (MLS).
A total of 17 Spanish footballers are part of the North American competition, although only one of them features among the 10 best paid players - with a gross salary of $3,545,833 per season, New England Revolution midfielder Carles Gil is ninth top earner in the MLS. His salary, however, has not changed since last season and is far from the player who occupies top spot - Inter Miami star Lionel Messi ($20,446,667). Coming in behind the Argentinean is Toronto FC’s Lorenzo Insigne ($15,400,000) and Chicago Fire’s Xherdan Shaqiri ($8,153,000).
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Out of the top 3, only Shaqiri has managed to qualify for the playoffs for the MLS Cup. Carles Gil’s ‘Revs’ will fight for the title with the Spaniard in fine form - he has contributed 11 goals and seven assists in 31 games this season.
Busi bonus
The second Spanish footballer with the highest wage in the MLS is Sergio Busquets, who will take hom $1,775,000 per season until his contract with Inter Miami comes to an end in December 2025. The former Barcelona captain occupies one of the three franchise player spots on his team - just like Riqui Puig at LA Galaxy. The young Catalan midfielder has a salary of $1,732,500 for playing for the Los Angeles team, where he is a true star despite the fact that this season has been marked by poor results. After Puig appears another player who triumphed at Barça, Jordi Alba, who receives $1,250,000 annually for wearing the Inter Miami shirt.
In fifth position we find a player who has not even made his debut in the top tier of Spanish - Jesús Jiménez. The Madrid-born striker, who earns $1,219,927 per season at FC Dallas, left Second Division B side Talavera for Poland in 2018, where he became a true star. In 2022 he crossed the pond to sign with Toronto FC and later went to Dallas, where he has a contract until December of next year.
Behind him is Ilie Sánchez, one of the Spanish footballers who has had the best career in the United States. The Barça youth player, current MLS champion with Los Angeles FC, also pockets $1,207.000 per season. Mario González, Ilie’s teammate at LÁFC, earns $888,500 annually, while José Antonio Martínez, captain and great strongman of FC Dallas in defense, earns $773,000 per season.
Spanish player’s salaries in MLS:
| Soccer player | Equipment | Seasonal salary |
|---|---|---|
| Carles Gil | New England Revolution | $3,545,833 |
| Sergio Busquets | Inter Miami | $1,775,000 |
| Riqui Puig | LA Galaxy | $1,732,500 |
| Jordi Alba | Inter Miami | $1,250,000 |
| Jesús Jiménez | FC Dallas | $1,219,927 |
| Ilie Sánchez | Los Angeles FC | $1,207,500 |
| Mario González | Los Angeles FC | $888,500 |
| José Antonio Martínez | FC Dallas | $773,000 |
| Carlos Akapo | San Jose Earthquakes | $570,111 |
| Oriol Rosell | LA Galaxy | $500,000 |
| Andreu Fontas | Sporting Kansas City | $450,000 |
| Sergi Palencia | Los Angeles FC | $432,500 |
| Asier Illarramendi | FC Dallas | $339,750 |
| Nacho Gil | New England Revolution | $396,250 |
| Víctor Vázquez | Toronto F.C. | $301,500 |
| Miguel Berry | Atlanta United | $135,000 |
| Alonso Coello | Toronto F.C. | $71,693 |