The Big (and Little) Money Earned by Soccer Players
Many players never see the million dollar mark, but for those talented and fortunate few who do, they have hit the big time.
International soccer clearly pays more than our American MLS. According to Forbes, the World’s Highest-Paid Soccer Player in 2018 are all abroad.
The top earner was Lionel Messi with a combined earning of $111 million.
Messi is a five-time winner of FIFA’s “Ballon d’Or” which is the world’s player of the year award and he earns millions from endorsement deals with Adidas, Mastercard, and Pepsi on top of his salary from Barcelona.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays for Real Madrid was reported to earn slightly less, bringing in $108 million in salary, bonuses, and endorsements.
In America, soccer players earn dramatically lower salaries. However, our clubs are very young in comparison to those storied and century-old clubs across the Atlantic.
Here is the list of players earning over $1 million in the MLS from the MLSPA.
The highest paid salary in the MLS is $6.1 million earned by Chicago Fire’s Bastian Schweinsteiger.
| Michael | Bradley | Toronto FC | $6,000,000.00 |
| David | Villa | New York City FC | $5,610,000.00 |
| Sebastian | Giovinco | Toronto FC | $5,600,000.00 |
| Jozy | Altidore | Toronto FC | $5,000,000.00 |
| Carlos | Vela | LAFC | $4,500,000.00 |
| Giovani | dos Santos | LA Galaxy | $4,250,000.00 |
| Wayne | Rooney | DC United | $2,769,230.88 |
| Diego | Valeri | Portland Timbers | $2,320,000.00 |
| Raul | Ruidiaz | Seattle Sounders FC | $2,000,004.00 |
| Maxi | Moralez | New York City FC | $2,000,000.04 |
| Jonathan | dos Santos | LA Galaxy | $2,000,000.04 |
| Tim | Howard | Colorado Rapids | $2,000,000.00 |
| Miguel | Almiron | Atlanta United | $1,912,500.00 |
| Yura | Movsisyan | Chicago Fire | $1,850,000.00 |
| Nicolas | Lodeiro | Seattle Sounders FC | $1,800,000.00 |
| Borek | Dockal | Philadelphia Union | $1,714,285.68 |
| Nemanja | Nikolic | Chicago Fire | $1,700,000.04 |
| Darwin | Quintero | Minnesota United | $1,650,000.00 |
| Felipe | Gutierrez | Sporting Kansas City | $1,599,999.96 |
| Shkelzen | Gashi | Colorado Rapids | $1,575,000.00 |
| Romain | Alessandrini | LA Galaxy | $1,539,996.00 |
| Bradley | Wright-Phillips | New York Red Bulls | $1,500,000.00 |
| Zlatan | Ibrahimovic | LA Galaxy | $1,500,000.00 |
| Ezequiel | Barco | Atlanta United | $1,425,000.00 |
| Victor | Vazquez | Toronto FC | $1,365,000.00 |
| Johnny | Russell | Sporting Kansas City | $1,331,578.92 |
| Valeri “Vako” | Qazaishvili | San Jose Earthquakes | $1,325,004.00 |
| Sebastian | Blanco | Portland Timbers | $1,300,008.00 |
| Michael | Mancienne | New England Revolution | $1,284,768.00 |
| Fanendo | Adi | FC Cincinnati | $1,275,000.00 |
| Josef | Martinez | Atlanta United | $1,270,008.00 |
| David | Accam | Philadelphia Union | $1,250,000.04 |
| Aleksandar | Katai | Chicago Fire | $1,200,000.00 |
| Rod | Fanni | Montreal Impact | $1,200,000.00 |
| Dom | Dwyer | Orlando City SC | $1,200,000.00 |
| Alejandro | Bedoya | Philadelphia Union | $1,200,000.00 |
| Ager | Aketxe Barrutia | Toronto FC | $1,190,000.04 |
| Federico | Higuain | Columbus Crew | $1,100,000.04 |
| Andre | Horta | LAFC | $1,100,000.04 |
| Clint | Dempsey | Retired | $1,100,000.04 |
| Osvaldo | Alonso | Seattle Sounders FC | $1,100,000.04 |
| Sacha | Kljestan | Orlando City SC | $1,025,000.04 |
| Diego | Rossi | LAFC | $1,000,000.08 |
| Kei | Kamara | Vancouver Whitecaps | $1,000,000.00 |
While Toronto FC’s Sebastian Giovinco may earn the highest total compensation of all MLS players, bringing in a reported $7 million, his actual salary is $5.6 million clearly showing the power of endorsements is as lucrative in America as it is in Europe.
American players still command signficantly less than their European counterparts. Kevin De Bruyne earns a weekly salary of more than $460,000 from EPL’s Manchester City, but the club was founded in 1880.
Imagine what MLS clubs might pay their players after a century of fielding players.
Man City 2018 Active Roster
|
PLAYER (25)
|
POS.
|
AGE
|
ANNUAL SALARY
|
WEEKLY SALARY
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin De Bruyne | M | 26 | £18,200,000 | £350,000 | |
| Sergio Aguero | F | 29 | £13,000,000 | £250,000 | |
| David Silva | M | 32 | £11,440,000 | £220,000 | |
| Raheem Sterling | F | 23 | £9,360,000 | £180,000 | |
MLS Club Spotlights
What do players make on a powerhouse MLS Team?
If we use Sporting Kansas City as an example of a high profile MLS team, and the only MLS team to make it to the semifinals of the 2019 CONCACAF, here are the salary figures for a few of their players:
- Johnny Russell $1.3 million
- Matt Besler $750,000,
- Yohan Croizet $650,00
- Ilie Sanchez $325,000
- Tim Melia $300,000
- Gianluca Busio $80,000
- Wan Kuzain $67,500
- Daniel Salloi $67,000
- Jaylin Lindsey $54,500
Another high profile club is the LA Galaxy – their players’ salary range tops off at $4.2 million for forward Giovani dos Santos.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the 4th highest paid player, earning $1.5 million and only one player on their roster earns the starting salary of $54,000.
Newcomer Efrain Alvarez is paid a salary of $67,500.
Then there is the drop – MLS Starting Salaries:
According to a review of the MLS Players Association 20182019 salary guide, our estimates are:
200 MLS players earning under $70,000 with most receiving the MLS starting salary of $54,500.
| Chris | Wehan | San Jose Earthquakes | M | $54,492.00 | |
| Victor | Arboleda | Portland Timbers | F-M c | $54,499.92 | |
| Simon | Colyn | Vancouver Whitecaps | M | $54,499.92 | |
| Josh | Perez | LAFC | F | $54,499.92 | |
| Louis | Beland-Goyette | Montreal Impact | M | $54,500.00 | |
| Jesus | Ferreira | FC Dallas | F | $54,500.00 | |
| Thomas | Meilleur-Giguere x | Montreal Impact | D | $54,500.00 | |
| Bryan | Reynolds | FC Dallas | F | $54,500.00 | |
| Nouhou | Tolo | Seattle Sounders FC | D | $54,500.00 | |
| Jacob | Akanyirige | San Jose Earthquakes | D | $54,500.04 | |
| Michael | Baldisimo | Vancouver Whitecaps | M | $54,500.04 | |
| Luis | Argudo | Columbus Crew | M | $54,500.04 | |
| Myer | Bevan | Vancouver Whitecaps | F | $54,500.04 | |
| Daniel | Bedoya | New York City FC | M | $54,500.04 | |
| Jason | Beaulieu | Montreal Impact | GK | $54,500.04 | |
| Shaft | Brewer | LAFC | M | $54,500.04 | |
| Jordan | Cano | FC Dallas | D | $54,500.04 | |
| Diego | Campos | Chicago Fire | M | $54,500.04 | |
| Jeff | Caldwell | New York City FC | GK | $54,500.04 | |
| Brandon | Bye | New England Revolution cc | D | $54,500.04 | |
| Handwalla | Bwana | Seattle Sounders FC | M | $54,500.04 | |
| Elliot | Collier | Chicago Fire | F | $54,500.04 | |
| Mathieu | Choiniere | Montreal Impact | M | $54,500.04 | |
| Felix | Chenkam | Seattle Sounders FC | F | $54,500.04 | |
| Aidan | Daniels | Toronto FC | M | $54,500.04 | |
| Julian | Dunn | Toronto FC | D | $54,500.04 | |
| Kyle | Duncan | New York Red Bulls | D | $54,500.04 | |
| Conor | Donovan | Houston Dynamo | D | $54,500.04 | |
| Eric | Dick | Sporting Kansas City | GK | $54,500.04 | |
| Modou | Jadama | Portland Timbers | D | $54,500.04 | |
| Niki | Jackson | Colorado Rapids | F | $54,500.04 | |
| Lagos | Kunga | Atlanta United | M-F | $54,500.04 | |
| Ken | Krolicki | Montreal Impact | M | $54,500.04 | |
| Foster | Langsdorf | Portland Timbers | F | $54,500.04 | |
| Ethan | Kutler | New York Red Bulls | D | $54,500.04 | |
| Paul | Marie | San Jose Earthquakes | D | $54,500.04 | |
| Carter | Manley | Minnesota United | D | $54,500.04 | |
| Ben | Lundgaard | Columbus Crew | GK | $54,500.04 | |
| Mark | McKenzie | Philadelphia Union | D | $54,500.04 | |
| Sean | Melvin | Vancouver Whitecaps | GK | $54,500.04 | |
| Chris | Odoi-Atsem | DC United | D | $54,500.04 | |
| David | Norman | Vancouver Whitecaps | M | $54,500.04 | |
| Michael | Nelson | Houston Dynamo | GK | $54,500.04 | |
| Danny | Musovski | San Jose Earthquakes | F | $54,500.04 | |
| Kevin | Partida | San Jose Earthquakes | M | $54,500.04 | |
| James | Pantemis | Montreal Impact | GK | $54,500.04 | |
| Wyatt | Omsberg | Minnesota United | D | $54,500.04 | |
| Kevin | Politz | New York Red Bulls | D | $54,500.04 | |
| Matthew | Real | Philadelphia Union | D | $54,500.04 | |
| Steeve | Saint-Duc | LAFC | F | $54,500.04 | |
| Roldan | Seattle Sounders FC | M | $54,500.04 | ||
| Oliver | Shannon | Atlanta United | M | $54,500.04 | |
| Mark | Segbers | New England Revolution | D-M | $54,500.04 | |
| Joe | Scally | New York City FC | D | $54,500.04 | |
| James | Sands | New York City FC | D-M | $54,500.04 | |
| Nicolas | Samayoa | New England Revolution | D | $54,500.04 | |
| Mac | Steeves | Houston Dynamo | GK | $54,500.04 | |
| Graham | Smith | Sporting Kansas City | D | $54,500.04 | |
| Mohamed | Thiaw | San Jose Earthquakes | F | $54,500.04 | |
| Ryan | Telfer | Toronto FC | M-F | $54,500.04 | |
| Justin | Vom Steeg | LA Galaxy | GK | $54,500.04 | |
| Brian | White | New York Red Bulls | F | $54,500.04 | |
| Ayo | Akinola | Toronto FC | F | $54,504.00 | |
| Corey | Baird | Real Salt Lake | F | $54,504.00 | |
| Pierre | Da Silva | Orlando City SC | M | $54,504.00 | |
| Roberto | Dominguez | Vancouver Whitecaps | D | $54,504.00 | |
| Hassan Ndam | Fouapon | New York Red Bulls | D | $54,504.00 | |
| Jaylin | Lindsey | Sporting Kansas City | D | $54,504.00 | |
| Ben | Mines | New York Red Bulls | M | $54,504.00 | |
| Patrick | Okonkwo | Atlanta United | F | $54,504.00 | |
| Connor | Sparrow | Real Salt Lake | GK | $54,504.00 | |
| Tyler | Freeman | Sporting Kansas City | F | $55,200.00 | |
| Kendall | McIntosh | Portland Timbers | GK | $55,650.00 | |
| Henry | Wingo | Seattle Sounders FC | D-M | $55,650.00 | |
| Adrian | Zendejas | Sporting Kansas City | GK | $55,650.00 | |
| Kwame | Awuah | New York City FC | D-M | $55,654.20 | |
| Stefan | Cleveland | Chicago Fire | GK | $55,654.20 | |
| Raheem | Edwards | Chicago Fire | F | $55,654.20 | |
| Amer | Didic | Sporting Kansas City | D | $55,654.20 | |
| Marcus | Epps | Philadelphia Union | M | $55,654.20 | |
| Kyle | Fisher | Montreal Impact | D | $55,654.20 | |
| Alex | Kapp | Minnesota United | GK | $55,654.20 | |
| Connor | Maloney | Columbus Crew | D | $55,654.20 | |
| Evan | Louro | New York Red Bulls | GK | $55,654.20 | |
| Jake | McGuire | Philadelphia Union | GK | $55,654.20 | |
| Memo | Rodriguez | Houston Dynamo | M | $55,654.20 | |
| Colton | Storm | Sporting Kansas City | D | $55,654.20 | |
| Andrew | Wheeler-Omiunu | Atlanta United | M | $55,654.20 | |
| Jack | Elliott | Philadelphia Union | D | $59,629.50 |
Salaries in Women’s Soccer
And, as we know, female soccer professionals are paid dramatically less. The minimum salary is $16,538 and the highest paid player earns only $46,200. Some NWSL players have host families who help support them.
