Back to the trend of the day: Messi's Inter Miami visit New York Red Bulls, just above playoff line
Poly Rating · from the trend of the day

Highest Paid MLS Players 2026: Who Earns Their Pay

Several record crowds came after hosts moved Miami games to NFL stadiums: Colorado to Mile High (75,824), D.C. to Baltimore (72,026), Chicago to Soldier Field (63,094).

  • No. 1: Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
  • 10 places

01Final list

The leading AIs each built their own list of ten independently. Here is one result that is easy to check: every place has a reason, a source, and the list of AIs that included it.

Order: from most to least AI agreement.

A bright badge means this AI put the entry on its list. A dim badge means it did not.

  1. 1

    Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)

    $28.3M buys 25 goals and 15 assists (55% of Miami's 73) plus 75,824 in Colorado. Snapshots differ: 23–25 goals, and the Rapids' average is quoted at 15,500–20,100.

    Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Nemotron, Nova, DeepSeek, Wenxin, Qwen. Did not include: MiMo, Kimi.

    In their lists: Claude: 1 · ChatGPT: 1 · Meta: 1 · Nemotron: 1 · Nova · DeepSeek: 1 · Wenxin: 1 · Qwen: 1

    What each AI noted 8
    • Claudeplace 1

      $28.3M guaranteed, 2.5 times Son's $11.1M, for 25 goals (34% of Miami's 73) plus 15 assists, and the only player who changes crowds: 75,824 in Colorado against the Rapids' 20,091 average.

      Source ↗
    • ChatGPTplace 1

      25 goals and 15 assists accompany a $28.33 million guarantee; his club also drew 75,824 in Denver.

      Source ↗
    • Metaplace 1

      75,824 at Colorado is 2nd-largest MLS crowd ever, $468 avg resale at RSL is 1396% over $28 next game, 40 contributions = 55% of Miami's 73 goals on $28.3M

      Source ↗
    • Nemotronplace 1

      $28.3M salary buys a 112% ticket premium and 38% of Miami's goals — the only player who single-handedly doubles road gates.

    • Nova

      Named differently in its own list: open the full list.

    • DeepSeekplace 1

      One road match in Denver drew 75,824 — more than the 2026 Super Bowl — while his $28.3M guarantee is still the league's largest.

      Source ↗
    • Wenxinplace 1

      28.3M earner: 75,000-strong crowds pay 500+ to see him score 18G/12A

      Source ↗
    • Qwenplace 1

      $28.3M salary draws 75,824 fans to Denver and forces a $468 resale ticket price, a 14x premium over RSL's usual match.

      Source ↗
    8 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  2. 2

    Son Heung-min (LAFC)

    $11.15M, second-highest pay, for 7 goals and 12–15 assists, and he headlined LAFC's 75,673 home record. He earns it as a creator and a draw, not a scorer.

    Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Nemotron, Nova, DeepSeek, Wenxin, Qwen. Did not include: MiMo, Kimi.

    In their lists: Claude: 3 · ChatGPT: 3 · Meta: 2 · Nemotron: 2 · Nova · DeepSeek: 2 · Wenxin: 2 · Qwen: 2

    What each AI noted 8
    • Claudeplace 3

      $11.1M for an assist leader: 15 assists by Oct 15 and only 7 league goals, so he earns it as a creator, not as a finisher.

      Source ↗
    • ChatGPTplace 3

      The league's second-highest guarantee buys a major draw, but the open sources reviewed here do not establish a full-season goal-and-assist return.

    • Metaplace 2

      7 goals + 15 assists ties Vela's LAFC single-season assist record, $11.15M salary less than half Messi's, co-headlined 75,673 at LA Coliseum

    • Nemotronplace 2

      $11.1M salary drives a 54% road ticket bump and 31% of Galaxy goals — elite two-way value in a market that demands stars.

    • Nova

      Named differently in its own list: open the full list.

    • DeepSeekplace 2

      His 15 assists lead MLS, and LAFC's $95 average ticket is second only to Miami's.

      Source ↗
    • Wenxinplace 2

      11.1M: 14G/9A, crowds swell 40% beyond LAFC norm, 350 resales

    • Qwenplace 2

      $11.1M at LAFC makes him the highest-paid Asian player in history, doubling the Galaxy's Riqui Puig.

      Source ↗
    8 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  3. 3

    Sam Surridge (Nashville SC)

    17 goals for $5.93M, the East leaders' top scorer. One tracker has him on 16, and Nashville's points are quoted as 67 or 70.

    Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, MiMo, Kimi, DeepSeek, Qwen. Did not include: Nemotron, Nova, Wenxin.

    In their lists: Claude: 4 · ChatGPT: 2 · Meta: 3 · MiMo: 5 · Kimi: 2 · DeepSeek: 6 · Qwen: 7

    What each AI noted 7
    • Claudeplace 4

      About $5.9M for the top scorer of the East's best side, with 9 goals in his first 8 games and a club on 70 points.

      Source ↗
    • ChatGPTplace 2

      17 goals for a $5.93 million guarantee puts Nashville's leading scorer well ahead of several costlier stars on production.

      Source ↗
    • Metaplace 3

      16 goals of Nashville's 66 on $5.93M — top scorer on 70-pt Shield winners with +43 GD best in league

    • MiMoplace 5

      Seven goals in his first four games, and the Supporters' Shield clinched with four matches still to play.

      Source ↗
    • Kimiplace 2

      $5.9M and 17 goals for the East's No. 1 seed — after a $2.7M raise rewarded his club-record 31 goals last year.

    • DeepSeekplace 6

      17 goals for $5.93M, and Nashville's 70-point season turns his scoring into a Supporters' Shield race.

      Source ↗
    • Qwenplace 7

      Nashville's $5.9M striker leads a balanced attacking threat for the Eastern Conference leaders.

      Source ↗
    7 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  4. 4

    Rodrigo De Paul (Inter Miami)

    Third-highest pay at $9.69M. His assists are disputed (9, 12 or 14), and Miami's crowds can't be split between him and Messi.

    Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, MiMo, Kimi, DeepSeek, Qwen. Did not include: Nemotron, Nova, Wenxin.

    In their lists: Claude: 2 · ChatGPT: 4 · Meta: 4 · MiMo: 8 · Kimi: 8 · DeepSeek: see list · Qwen: 3

    What each AI noted 7
    • Claudeplace 2

      The third-highest guaranteed pay ($9.6M) bought 14 assists, second in MLS, and feeds the same attack that draws the record crowds.

    • ChatGPTplace 4

      His $9.69 million guarantee is paired with Messi's exceptional road-ticket demand, but that demand cannot be attributed to De Paul alone.

      Source ↗
    • Metaplace 4

      $9.68M third-highest pay, 12 assists for Miami — second engine behind Messi's 40 contributions in same 73-goal attack

    • MiMoplace 8

      9.7M for the man who scored in front of 72,026 — Miami's crowds go wherever he and Messi go.

    • Kimiplace 8

      $9.7M for 14 goals+assists — a fair return, but Miami's second-richest deal still buys second-fiddle output to Messi.

    • DeepSeek

      Named differently in its own list: open the full list.

      see list
    • Qwenplace 3

      Miami's $9.7M midfield anchor earns more than the entire starting XI of three Eastern Conference cellar dwellers combined.

      Source ↗
    7 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  5. 5

    Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC)

    22–24 goals and assists for $5.41M on the East's top side. Sources split between 15+7 and 16+8.

    Included it: Claude, Meta, Kimi, DeepSeek, Qwen. Did not include: ChatGPT, Nemotron, Nova, MiMo, Wenxin.

    In their lists: Claude: 5 · Meta: 9 · Kimi: 3 · DeepSeek: 5 · Qwen: 10

    What each AI noted 5
    • Claudeplace 5

      Tenth in guaranteed pay, he sets up Surridge in an attack that has scored 66 goals.

      Source ↗
    • Metaplace 9

      $5.41M second Nashville scorer — 66-goal Shield team built on $5.9M Surridge + $5.4M Mukhtar combo cheaper than Messi alone

    • Kimiplace 3

      24 goals+assists — tied for third-most in MLS — on a $5.4M deal.

      Source ↗
    • DeepSeekplace 5

      Nashville's captain has 22 contributions at $5.41M — about $246k per contribution, roughly a quarter of Messi's rate.

      Source ↗
    • Qwenplace 10

      Nashville's $5.4M former MVP shares the spotlight, proving the league's top team doesn't rely on a single paycheck.

      Source ↗
    5 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  6. 6

    Thomas Müller (Vancouver Whitecaps)

    9 goals and 8 assists for $5.15M. Vancouver's average crowd rose from 19,642 to 23,738 after he arrived, and the club leads the West.

    Included it: ChatGPT, MiMo, Kimi, DeepSeek. Did not include: Claude, Meta, Nemotron, Nova, Wenxin, Qwen.

    In their lists: ChatGPT: 8 · MiMo: 7 · Kimi: 10 · DeepSeek: 9

    What each AI noted 4
    • ChatGPTplace 8

      A $5.15 million guarantee buys a high-profile addition, though the measured crowd and ticket effects are match-specific, not a player-level season total.

      Source ↗
    • MiMoplace 7

      31 goal contributions in 45 games for the West's runaway leaders — the 9th-highest salary in MLS.

    • Kimiplace 10

      $5.15M and the Whitecaps sit top of the West — the leadership dividend of their first MLS Cup final run.

    • DeepSeekplace 9

      Vancouver's average crowd rose from 19,642 to 23,738 after his arrival, and his 17 contributions cost $5.15M.

      Source ↗
    4 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  7. 7

    Evander (FC Cincinnati)

    13 goals plus 10–13 assists for $4.74M, about $200k per contribution, roughly a third of Messi's rate. The assist count varies by source.

    Included it: Meta, MiMo, DeepSeek. Did not include: Claude, ChatGPT, Nemotron, Nova, Kimi, Wenxin, Qwen.

    In their lists: Meta: 5 · MiMo: 4 · DeepSeek: 4

    What each AI noted 3
    • Metaplace 5

      13 goals + 13 assists = 26 of Cincinnati's 60 goals on $4.73M — cheaper than Lozano's $9.3M frozen-out deal

      Source ↗
    • MiMoplace 4

      23 goal contributions for a club sitting on 36 points — without him Cincinnati's race is already over.

      Source ↗
    • DeepSeekplace 4

      23 goal contributions for $4.74M, on a Cincinnati side that has conceded 71 goals in the East.

      Source ↗
    3 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  8. 8

    Carles Gil (New England Revolution)

    $4.95M (14th in pay) for 12 goals and a league-high 84 key passes. New England sits third in the East on a payroll ranked 17th.

    Included it: Claude, Kimi, DeepSeek. Did not include: ChatGPT, Meta, Nemotron, Nova, MiMo, Wenxin, Qwen.

    In their lists: Claude: 7 · Kimi: 5 · DeepSeek: 10

    What each AI noted 3
    • Claudeplace 7

      $4.95M, 14th in pay, at the heart of a Revolution side third in the East on 52 points.

      Source ↗
    • Kimiplace 5

      League-high 84 key passes driving the East's biggest payroll bargain — 17th in spending, 3rd in the table.

    • DeepSeekplace 10

      12 league goals for $4.95M on the East's third-place side, but New England's attendance fell 16% year over year.

      Source ↗
    3 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  9. 9

    Denis Bouanga (LAFC)

    17 goals and 5 assists for $4.94M, under a fifth of Messi's pay. He outproduces his $11.15M teammate Son on goals.

    Included it: Kimi, DeepSeek. Did not include: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Nemotron, Nova, MiMo, Wenxin, Qwen.

    In their lists: Kimi: 7 · DeepSeek: 3

    What each AI noted 2
    • Kimiplace 7

      22 goals+assists at $4.9M while carrying LAFC's attack into the Western playoff spots.

    • DeepSeekplace 3

      22 goal contributions for $4.94M — less than a fifth of Messi's guarantee.

      Source ↗
    2 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  10. 10

    Kévin Denkey (FC Cincinnati)

    17 goals and 3 assists for $3.81M, the cheapest rate per contribution here (about $190k). Only one source gives it, so it ranks below the confirmed names.

    Included it: DeepSeek. Did not include: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Nemotron, Nova, MiMo, Kimi, Wenxin, Qwen.

    In their lists: DeepSeek: 8

    What each AI noted 1
    • DeepSeekplace 8

      17 goals for $3.81M, on a team whose 71 goals conceded make his output survival rather than luxury.

      Source ↗
    1 AIs put it here
    Source ↗

More about the top three ↓

02More about the top three

The ranking is above. Here is more about the three places at the top: what they are, why they are here, and what is worth knowing.

Goal, assist and points counts come from different trackers and dates, so they differ a little (Surridge 16–17 goals, Son 12–15 assists).

1Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)

No. 1 — Lionel Messi (Inter Miami). On the lists of 8 of 10 AIs; median place there: 1. The AIs put Messi first because his huge pay comes with the most goals and assists and record-breaking crowds on the road.

Did you know

  • In 2025 Messi became the first player to win the MLS MVP award two years in a row. He also became the first MLS player to end a regular season with at least 18 goals and 18 assists.

    Source ↗
What it is
Inter Miami star with the league's biggest guaranteed pay.
Its edge
Only one of the three who pairs top pay with 25 goals and giant crowds.
Who should know
Useful to know: it shows one player's pay can be matched by goals and ticket sales.
  • Pay vs goals, assists, crowds$28.3M, 25 goals

Wikipedia · Wikidata

Why it is here

  • The players' union lists Messi at $28,333,333 in guaranteed pay. The league average is $688,816, so he earns about 41 times the typical MLS player.

    Source ↗

  • His away game in Colorado drew 75,824 fans. That beat the old MLS away record of 75,673 and is the biggest crowd in Rapids history.

    Source ↗
Did you know

  • His 2025 Golden Boot made him the first Inter Miami player to win it. His 48 goal contributions were second only to Carlos Vela's 49 for LAFC in 2019.

    Source ↗
History

  • In August 2021 Barcelona could not sign Messi again because of LaLiga's salary cap, so he left after 17 seasons at the club.

    Source ↗
Keep in mind

  • The $28,333,333 figure is guaranteed pay. It includes any marketing bonus and agent's fees. It leaves out side deals with the team or its affiliates, and performance bonuses. He turned 39 in June 2026.

    Source ↗
What people say

  • "Since I arrived in Miami, I've been very happy, so I'm truly glad to keep going here." — Lionel Messi

    Source ↗
Where to go further

  • Read the "Awards & stats" part of this MLS profile first. It lists his Miami record as 90g/51a in 104 appearances, plus three club trophies.

    Source ↗

Video: MESSI MANIA | How Inter Miami CF Landed The GOAT · Major League Soccer

Compare the top three ↓

2Son Heung-min (LAFC)

No. 2 — Son Heung-min (LAFC). On the lists of 8 of 10 AIs; median place there: 2. The AIs put Son second because he earns his pay as a creator and a crowd draw, not as a scorer.

BFA 2023 -2 Heung-Min Son (cropped)
Ujishadow · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Did you know

  • Son's move from Tottenham to LAFC broke the MLS transfer record. Reports put the fee near $26 million, beating the old mark of about $22 million set by Emmanuel Latte Lath.

    Source ↗
What it is
LAFC forward with the league's second-highest pay.
Its edge
Leads the league in assists, which neither of the other two does.
Who should know
Useful to know: it shows pay can buy playmaking and crowds, not only goals.
  • Pay vs goals, assists, crowds$11.15M, 7 goals

Wikipedia · Wikidata

Why it is here

  • Son is second in MLS pay at $11,152,852. That is far below Messi's $28,333,333 but still many times the league average of $688,816.

    Source ↗

  • After a goal and two assists against Austin, Son has 15 assists, the most in MLS. Messi and others are on 14. His 7 MLS goals show he is mainly a creator.

    Source ↗
History

  • In August 2025 Son left Tottenham after a decade for LAFC. At first he did not want the move, but LAFC's John Thorrington changed his mind.

    Source ↗
Keep in mind

  • Son said at his arrival that he is "old" but still has good legs. Korea went out of the World Cup in the group stage, and he had no goal or assist there. He later apologized to fans.

    Source ↗
What people say

  • "I just felt like I need a new chapter, I need a new challenge." — Son Heung-min

    Source ↗
Where to go further

  • Start with the "MLS background" part. It explains the transfer fee and his early goals and assists, which show why LAFC wanted him.

    Source ↗

Video: How Heung-Min Son Became the Pride of South Korea · Nabhuto

Compare the top three ↓

3Sam Surridge (Nashville SC)

No. 3 — Sam Surridge (Nashville SC). On the lists of 7 of 10 AIs; median place there: 4. The AIs put Surridge third because he scores a lot for far less pay, leading the East's best team.

Did you know

  • In 2025 Surridge finished right behind Messi in the Golden Boot race. Messi won it, and Surridge came second, ahead of LAFC's Denis Bouanga.

    Source ↗
What it is
Nashville SC striker and the club's top scorer.
Its edge
Cheapest of the three per goal, at about $5.9M for 17.
Who should know
Useful to know: it shows a mid-priced scorer can beat costlier stars on goals per dollar.
  • Pay vs goals, assists, crowds$5.93M, 17 goals

Wikipedia · Wikidata

Why it is here

  • He is Nashville's top scorer with 17 league goals and 19 in all games. The club leads the conference with 67 points from 30 matches.

    Source ↗
History

  • In July 2023 Sam Surridge moved from Nottingham Forest to Nashville SC as a Designated Player. He had scored 11 goals in 50 games for Forest, which had won promotion to the Premier League in 2022.

    Source ↗ ✓ confirmed by several AIs
Keep in mind

  • By July, he had nine goals in eight games and was an All-Star for the second year in a row. That was a hot start, not a full season. Full-year totals differ by tracker.

    Source ↗
What people say

  • "I've repaid their faith, and hopefully we just want to create more moments together." — Sam Surridge

    Source ↗
Compare the top three ↓

The top three side by side

Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)Son Heung-min (LAFC)Sam Surridge (Nashville SC)
In the AIs' lists8 / 108 / 107 / 10
Pay vs goals, assists, crowds$28.3M, 25 goals$11.15M, 7 goals$5.93M, 17 goals
Put first byClaude, ChatGPT, Meta, Nemotron, DeepSeek, Wenxin, Qwen——

Places with the same number of AIs are ordered by their average place in the AIs' own lists.

More ratings

03Worth knowing

What the AIs noticed while building the list.

Several record crowds came after hosts moved Miami games to NFL stadiums: Colorado to Mile High (75,824), D.C. to Baltimore (72,026), Chicago to Soldier Field (63,094). Part of each number is the venue, not only Messi.

Noticed by:
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, MiMo, Kimi. Did not include: Meta, Nemotron, Nova, DeepSeek, Wenxin, Qwen.
Source ↗

The famous Utah comparison mixes two measures: $468 was the average resale price for the Messi game, while $28 was only the cheapest seat for RSL's next home game.

Noticed by:
Included it: Claude, Meta, Kimi, DeepSeek. Did not include: ChatGPT, Nemotron, Nova, MiMo, Wenxin, Qwen.
Source ↗

$28.3M is only Messi's guaranteed playing pay. Inter Miami's owner puts his total annual cost at $70–80M.

Noticed by:
Included it: Nova, MiMo, Kimi, DeepSeek. Did not include: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Nemotron, Wenxin, Qwen.
Source ↗

Three top-10 earners did not earn their pay: Lozano ($9.33M) was frozen out at San Diego and loaned to the Galaxy, Puig ($5.79M) missed the whole season, and Almirón ($7.87M) has 4–6 goals and assists for a club in 14th.

Noticed by:
Included it: Claude, Meta, Kimi, DeepSeek. Did not include: ChatGPT, Nemotron, Nova, MiMo, Wenxin, Qwen.
Source ↗

04Questions people ask

What is the highest paid MLS player?

Lionel Messi of Inter Miami, with $28,333,333 in guaranteed pay in the MLSPA spring 2026 guide.

Who's the highest paid player in MLS?

Messi. Son Heung-min is second at $11,152,852 and Rodrigo De Paul third at $9,688,320.

Source ↗
Who are the highest paid MLS players?

The 2026 top five are Messi ($28.33M), Son ($11.15M), De Paul ($9.69M), Hirving Lozano ($9.33M) and Miguel Almirón ($7.87M).

Source ↗
Why do Messi's salary figures differ?

Reports quote his $25M base, his $28.3M guaranteed pay, or the club's $70–80M total cost. Each is a different measure.

Source ↗

05How we counted

In plain words, no formulas.

1The question

Top 10 MLS Players Who Earn Their Pay: Salary vs. Crowds, Ticket Prices and Points

2Why this topic

Nobody publishes one list that puts a player's pay next to the crowds, ticket prices and points he brings. This ranking does, so the reader sees value per dollar, not just a salary list.

3Where it applies

Major League Soccer, 2026 season

4What we looked at

  • Guaranteed pay per player, from the MLS Players Association 2026 salary guide
  • Away-game crowd compared with the host club's season average
  • Resale ticket price for games with the player, compared with that host's usual price
  • How many of the club's 2026 goals came from the player's goals and assists
  • MLS Players Association spring 2026 salary guide — Annual guaranteed compensation for players under contract on April 16, 2026; excludes performance bonuses
  • World Soccer Talk / club attendance releases — Official crowds at Inter Miami away games compared with the host's usual crowd
  • TickPick, reported by Sports Business Journal and World Soccer Talk — Average resale purchase price and get-in price per match
  • MLSsoccer.com Golden Boot tracker and stat aggregators — 2026 regular-season goals and assists per player and club goals

5Who ranked

The leading AIs, each building its own list of ten independently and naming a source for every place: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Nemotron, Nova, MiMo, Kimi, DeepSeek, Wenxin, Qwen.

6How the places were set

The same entry written differently by different AIs was counted as one. The more AIs put an entry on their list, and the higher they put it, the higher its place. "AI agreement" shows how many of the AIs had it on their own list. Sources are only those the AIs found themselves; nothing was added by hand.

06Each AI's own list

🇺🇸 Claude10 places · 4 notes

The same question, answered by Claude alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.

  1. 1
    Lionel Messi (Inter Miami, 2026)

    $28.3M guaranteed, 2.5 times Son's $11.1M, for 25 goals (34% of Miami's 73) plus 15 assists, and the only player who changes crowds: 75,824 in Colorado against the Rapids' 20,091 average.

    Source ↗
  2. 2
    Rodrigo De Paul (Inter Miami, 2026)

    The third-highest guaranteed pay ($9.6M) bought 14 assists, second in MLS, and feeds the same attack that draws the record crowds.

  3. 3
    Son Heung-min (LAFC, 2026)

    $11.1M for an assist leader: 15 assists by Oct 15 and only 7 league goals, so he earns it as a creator, not as a finisher.

    Source ↗
  4. 4
    Sam Surridge (Nashville SC, 2026)

    About $5.9M for the top scorer of the East's best side, with 9 goals in his first 8 games and a club on 70 points.

    Source ↗
  5. 5
    Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC, 2026)

    Tenth in guaranteed pay, he sets up Surridge in an attack that has scored 66 goals.

    Source ↗
  6. 6
    Hirving "Chucky" Lozano (San Diego FC, then LA Galaxy loan, 2026)

    $9.3M, fourth in MLS, for 9 goals and 10 assists in 25 San Diego games before an August loan to the Galaxy.

    Source ↗
  7. 7
    Carles Gil (New England Revolution, 2026)

    $4.95M, 14th in pay, at the heart of a Revolution side third in the East on 52 points.

    Source ↗
  8. 8
    Josh Sargent (Toronto FC, 2026)

    Paid just behind Mukhtar, but Toronto sit tied on 36 points just outside the line, so the pay buys little cushion.

  9. 9
    Miguel Almirón (Atlanta United, 2026)

    $7.8M, fifth in MLS, for 0 goals and 3 assists in 8 league games, with his last league game on May 24.

    Source ↗
  10. 10
    Riqui Puig (LA Galaxy, 2026)

    A top-10 earner who did not play at all in 2026 because of a second knee operation, so zero goals and zero assists.

    Source ↗

What Claude noticed

Messi's $28.3M is more than twice the next player's $11.1M (Son), and he leads MLS with 25 goals, one-third of Miami's 73.

Source ↗

Messi's visit to Colorado drew 75,824 people to a stadium used by the Broncos, about 3.8 times the Rapids' 20,091 home average. It is the biggest Rapids crowd ever and second on the all-time MLS list.

Source ↗

Real Salt Lake against Miami averaged $468 on the resale market, the priciest MLS game of 2026. The 2024 Miami visit averaged about $185 (CNN), and RSL's small 21,000-seat ground limits supply.

Source ↗

The league-wide top-10 payroll does not track output. Puig did not play, Almirón has had a small role, and Lozano was loaned across the state.

Source ↗
🇺🇸 ChatGPT10 places · 4 notes

The same question, answered by ChatGPT alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.

  1. 1
    Lionel Messi — Inter Miami, 2026

    25 goals and 15 assists accompany a $28.33 million guarantee; his club also drew 75,824 in Denver.

    Source ↗
  2. 2
    Sam Surridge — Nashville SC, 2026

    17 goals for a $5.93 million guarantee puts Nashville's leading scorer well ahead of several costlier stars on production.

    Source ↗
  3. 3
    Heung-min Son — LAFC, 2026

    The league's second-highest guarantee buys a major draw, but the open sources reviewed here do not establish a full-season goal-and-assist return.

  4. 4
    Rodrigo De Paul — Inter Miami, 2026

    His $9.69 million guarantee is paired with Messi's exceptional road-ticket demand, but that demand cannot be attributed to De Paul alone.

    Source ↗
  5. 5
    Miguel Almirón — Atlanta United, 2026

    A $7.87 million guarantee is a steep bill for a club sitting 14th in the East in the October 24 table.

    Source ↗
  6. 6
    Hirving Lozano — San Diego FC, 2026

    His $9.33 million guarantee is among MLS's five biggest, while the available reporting says San Diego continued paying him despite separating him from the team.

    Source ↗
  7. 7
    Emil Forsberg — New York Red Bulls, 2026

    A $6.04 million guarantee and a club on the playoff edge make his return especially consequential late in the season.

    Source ↗
  8. 8
    Thomas Müller — Vancouver Whitecaps, 2026

    A $5.15 million guarantee buys a high-profile addition, though the measured crowd and ticket effects are match-specific, not a player-level season total.

    Source ↗
  9. 9
    Jonathan Bamba — Chicago Fire, 2026

    Chicago's 48 points and playoff position are a stronger team return than several clubs paying more for stars.

    Source ↗
  10. 10
    Riqui Puig — LA Galaxy, 2026

    A $5.79 million guarantee makes the value question unavoidable, but the available sources do not establish a comparable 2026 match-by-match crowd premium.

What ChatGPT noticed

Messi's 40 combined goals and assists are the clearest on-field counterweight to the league-leading $28.33 million guarantee.

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Colorado's 75,824 crowd was the second-largest in league history, but the Rapids moved the match to an NFL stadium, so the gate is not a clean estimate of Messi's standalone draw.

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The reported $468 average resale purchase price at Real Salt Lake is a striking single-game figure, not a season-average ticket price for every Messi road appearance.

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Salary rankings and value rankings diverge: Nashville's Sam Surridge earns far less than the top-paid group while scoring 17 goals in Yahoo's 2026 table.

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🇺🇸 Meta10 places · 2 notes

The same question, answered by Meta alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.

  1. 1
    Lionel Messi 2026

    75,824 at Colorado is 2nd-largest MLS crowd ever, $468 avg resale at RSL is 1396% over $28 next game, 40 contributions = 55% of Miami's 73 goals on $28.3M

    Source ↗
  2. 2
    Son Heung-min 2026

    7 goals + 15 assists ties Vela's LAFC single-season assist record, $11.15M salary less than half Messi's, co-headlined 75,673 at LA Coliseum

  3. 3
    Sam Surridge 2026

    16 goals of Nashville's 66 on $5.93M — top scorer on 70-pt Shield winners with +43 GD best in league

  4. 4
    Rodrigo De Paul 2026

    $9.68M third-highest pay, 12 assists for Miami — second engine behind Messi's 40 contributions in same 73-goal attack

  5. 5
    Evander 2026

    13 goals + 13 assists = 26 of Cincinnati's 60 goals on $4.73M — cheaper than Lozano's $9.3M frozen-out deal

    Source ↗
  6. 6
    Emil Forsberg 2026

    $6.03M NYRB captain keeps 36-pt team 2 pts below Wild Card despite -17 GD — cheapest captain in top-10 pay

  7. 7
    Miguel Almiron 2026

    $7.87M for Atlanta's 6 goals 6 assists — team only 37 goals, 30 pts 6 pts off playoff line shows cost per goal $1.3M

  8. 8
    Riqui Puig 2026

    $5.79M LA Galaxy playmaker missed most of 2026 injured — inverse proof of value: Galaxy fell out of top 9 without him

  9. 9
    Hany Mukhtar 2026

    $5.41M second Nashville scorer — 66-goal Shield team built on $5.9M Surridge + $5.4M Mukhtar combo cheaper than Messi alone

  10. 10
    Hirving Lozano 2026

    $9.33M fourth-highest pay but frozen out at San Diego FC — $0 crowd lift vs Messi's 1396% ticket surge shows who earns pay

What Meta noticed

Colorado moved to NFL stadium Empower Field for Messi: 75,824 is 2nd largest MLS crowd ever, just 1,336 short of NFL Broncos-Packers record 77,160

Source ↗

Messi leads MLS with 40 goal contributions (25g/15a) and Inter Miami leads MLS with 73 goals, so one player is 55% of team attack

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🇺🇸 Nemotron10 places · 1 notes

The same question, answered by Nemotron alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.

  1. 1
    Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF)

    $28.3M salary buys a 112% ticket premium and 38% of Miami's goals — the only player who single-handedly doubles road gates.

  2. 2
    Son Heung-min (LA Galaxy)

    $11.1M salary drives a 54% road ticket bump and 31% of Galaxy goals — elite two-way value in a market that demands stars.

  3. 3
    Rodrigo De Paul (Inter Miami CF)

    $9.6M for the engine room: 29% goal share and a 28% ticket lift on nights Messi rests — the ultimate insurance policy.

  4. 4
    Lorenzo Insigne (Toronto FC)

    $15.4M cap hit yields only 18% goal share and a flat ticket curve — the DP model's cautionary tale.

  5. 5
    Xherdan Shaqiri (Chicago Fire FC)

    $8.1M buys 26% of Fire goals but zero road premium — a creator wasted on a non-playoff team.

  6. 6
    Javier Hernández (LA Galaxy)

    $7.5M for 22% goal share and a 19% ticket lift — Chicharito's brand still moves needles in Year 3.

  7. 7
    Federico Bernardeschi (Toronto FC)

    $6.3M salary, 24% goal share, but -3% ticket delta — Toronto's second DP fails the crowd test.

  8. 8
    Carlos Vela (LAFC)

    $5.8M veteran deal returns 20% goal share and a 12% road bump — diminishing returns but still positive ROI.

  9. 9
    Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC)

    $5.2M for 34% of Nashville's goals — highest contribution-per-dollar among non-Messi DPs, but minimal ticket pop.

  10. 10
    Luciano Acosta (FC Cincinnati)

    $4.8M TAM deal, 30% goal share, 8% ticket lift — the bargain of the league, paid like a high-end TAM player, produces like a DP.

What Nemotron noticed

Toronto FC's two DPs (Insigne $15.4M, Bernardeschi $6.3M) combine for a -1% average ticket premium — the only club with negative aggregate drawing power from its highest-paid players.

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🇨🇳 MiMo10 places · 3 notes

The same question, answered by MiMo alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.

  1. 1
    LionelMessi (2026 MLS)

    468𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑈𝑡𝑎ℎ𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑒𝑡—𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡14𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑠𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑆𝑎𝑙𝑡𝐿𝑎𝑘𝑒′𝑠468foroneUtahticket—about14timesRealSaltLake′s28 cheapest seat for Portland.

    Source ↗
  2. 2
    SonHeung-min (LAFC, 2026)

    Four assists in one 6-0 win, 15 for the season — level with Messi for the MLS lead.

    Source ↗
  3. 3
    LuisSuárez (Inter Miami, 2026)

    27 goal contributions at age 39 — the cheapest half of Miami's three-headed attack.

    Source ↗
  4. 4
    Evander (FC Cincinnati, 2026)

    23 goal contributions for a club sitting on 36 points — without him Cincinnati's race is already over.

    Source ↗
  5. 5
    SamSurridge (Nashville SC, 2026)

    Seven goals in his first four games, and the Supporters' Shield clinched with four matches still to play.

    Source ↗
  6. 6
    Petar Musa (FC Dallas, 2026)

    19 goals and counting — the only man keeping Messi honest in the Golden Boot race.

    Source ↗
  7. 7
    ThomasMüller (Vancouver Whitecaps, 2026)

    31 goal contributions in 45 games for the West's runaway leaders — the 9th-highest salary in MLS.

  8. 8
    RodrigoDe Paul (Inter Miami, 2026)

    9.7M for the man who scored in front of 72,026 — Miami's crowds go wherever he and Messi go.

  9. 9
    Miguel Almirón (Atlanta United, 2026)

    Atlanta's all-time assist leader at 7.9M — while the club sits six points off the playoff line.

    Source ↗
  10. 10
    JonathanBamba (Chicago Fire, 2026)

    Chicago's top scorer and assister in July — and the Fire have since clinched their playoff berth.

    Source ↗

What MiMo noticed

InUtah, scarcity did the pricing: America First Field seats only 21,000, so the Messi game cost468𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎468onaverageagainsta28 cheapest seat for RSL-Portland — nearly 14x — and still broke RSL's record set by Manchester United in 2017 (148).

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The crowd is not only a Messi story: Chicago drew a club-record 63,094 at Soldier Field for the Miami visit, and the clubs themselves move these games to NFL-sized venues — Baltimore for DC, Cleveland for Columbus in 2025, Arrowhead for Sporting KC.

Source ↗

Value lives below the top 10 salaries: Suárez (27 goal contributions), Evander (23) and Musa (about 19 goals) all earn less than the 10th-highest guaranteed pay of 5,152,504.

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🇨🇳 Kimi10 places · 3 notes

The same question, answered by Kimi alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.

  1. 1
    Lionel Messi (Inter Miami, 2026)

    Owns the 2nd-, 3rd- and 9th-largest crowds in MLS history — all as a visitor in 2026.

    Source ↗
  2. 2
    Sam Surridge (Nashville SC, 2026)

    $5.9M and 17 goals for the East's No. 1 seed — after a $2.7M raise rewarded his club-record 31 goals last year.

  3. 3
    Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC, 2026)

    24 goals+assists — tied for third-most in MLS — on a $5.4M deal.

    Source ↗
  4. 4
    Josh Sargent (Toronto FC, 2026)

    16 goals on $5.27M — the MLS-record $22M+ signing single-handedly keeping Toronto one point off the playoff line.

  5. 5
    Carles Gil (New England Revolution, 2026)

    League-high 84 key passes driving the East's biggest payroll bargain — 17th in spending, 3rd in the table.

  6. 6
    Anders Dreyer (San Diego FC, 2026)

    25 goals+assists — joint-2nd in the entire league — for a $3.5M salary, the best production-per-dollar of any Designated Player.

    Source ↗
  7. 7
    Denis Bouanga (LAFC, 2026)

    22 goals+assists at $4.9M while carrying LAFC's attack into the Western playoff spots.

  8. 8
    Rodrigo De Paul (Inter Miami, 2026)

    $9.7M for 14 goals+assists — a fair return, but Miami's second-richest deal still buys second-fiddle output to Messi.

  9. 9
    Son Heung-min (LAFC, 2026)

    $11.15M — the league's second-biggest salary and second-most assists (12), but only 7 goals.

    Source ↗
  10. 10
    Thomas Müller (Vancouver Whitecaps, 2026)

    $5.15M and the Whitecaps sit top of the West — the leadership dividend of their first MLS Cup final run.

What Kimi noticed

Four of the eleven largest crowds in MLS history were Messi away games in 2026 alone: 75,824 at Colorado, 75,673 at LAFC, 72,026 at D.C. and 63,094 at Chicago — and every one of those four hosts set a club record hosting him.

Source ↗

The starkest ticket comparison in the league: Real Salt Lake's get-in price for Messi's visit was $419 against a $28 get-in for their next home game — but all the giant 2026 road crowds came at temporary NFL stadium moves (Mile High, M&T Bank Stadium, the LA Coliseum, Soldier Field), so part of the crowd is the venue, not the player.

Source ↗

The anti-list: Hirving Lozano is the league's 4th-highest-paid player at $9.33M and San Diego paid him $5.83M to train alone before loaning him to the Galaxy, while Atlanta's $27.9M payroll — 4th-biggest in MLS — has produced 4 goals and 4 assists from Miguel Almirón and a 14th-place team on 30 points.

Source ↗
🇨🇳 DeepSeek10 places · 2 notes

The same question, answered by DeepSeek alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.

  1. 1
    Lionel Messi (Inter Miami, 2026)

    One road match in Denver drew 75,824 — more than the 2026 Super Bowl — while his $28.3M guarantee is still the league's largest.

    Source ↗
  2. 2
    Son Heung-min (Los Angeles FC, 2026)

    His 15 assists lead MLS, and LAFC's $95 average ticket is second only to Miami's.

    Source ↗
  3. 3
    Denis Bouanga (Los Angeles FC, 2026)

    22 goal contributions for $4.94M — less than a fifth of Messi's guarantee.

    Source ↗
  4. 4
    Evander (FC Cincinnati, 2026)

    23 goal contributions for $4.74M, on a Cincinnati side that has conceded 71 goals in the East.

    Source ↗
  5. 5
    Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC, 2026)

    Nashville's captain has 22 contributions at $5.41M — about $246k per contribution, roughly a quarter of Messi's rate.

    Source ↗
  6. 6
    Sam Surridge (Nashville SC, 2026)

    17 goals for $5.93M, and Nashville's 70-point season turns his scoring into a Supporters' Shield race.

    Source ↗
  7. 7
    Anders Dreyer (San Diego FC, 2026)

    Even FBref's conservative domestic log gives him 15 contributions on a $2.98M wage — about a third of Son's salary.

    Source ↗
  8. 8
    Kévin Denkey (FC Cincinnati, 2026)

    17 goals for $3.81M, on a team whose 71 goals conceded make his output survival rather than luxury.

    Source ↗
  9. 9
    Thomas Müller (Vancouver Whitecaps, 2026)

    Vancouver's average crowd rose from 19,642 to 23,738 after his arrival, and his 17 contributions cost $5.15M.

    Source ↗
  10. 10
    Carles Gil (New England Revolution, 2026)

    12 league goals for $4.95M on the East's third-place side, but New England's attendance fell 16% year over year.

    Source ↗

What DeepSeek noticed

The MLSPA guide covers only the playing portion of Messi's compensation; Inter Miami's owner has said his total income is between $70M and $80M, so the $28.3M figure is not his full cost.

Source ↗

Son's 15 assists lead MLS, but he has only seven goals; his value is creation and commercial draw as much as scoring.

Source ↗
🇨🇳 Wenxin10 places · 1 notes

The same question, answered by Wenxin alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.

  1. 1
    Lionel Messi 2026 Inter Miami

    28.3M earner: 75,000-strong crowds pay 500+ to see him score 18G/12A

    Source ↗
  2. 2
    Heung-min Son 2026 LAFC

    11.1M: 14G/9A, crowds swell 40% beyond LAFC norm, 350 resales

  3. 3
    Rodrigo De Paul 2026 Inter Miami

    9.6𝑀:𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟,8𝐺/13𝐴,209.6M:elitecreator,8G/13A,20390 tickets

    Source ↗
  4. 4
    Luciano Acosta 2026 FC Cincinnati

    3.2M bargain: 11G/16A, 96% of goals his, 27,000-seat sellouts at 200

    Source ↗
  5. 5
    Cucho Hernández 2026 Columbus Crew

    2.7𝑀:16𝐺/7𝐴,902.7M:16G/7A,90175 tickets for a mid-tier star

  6. 6
    Denis Bouanga 2026 LAFC

    3.4M: 15G/6A, 35% higher resales than LAFC baseline, worth every cent

    Source ↗
  7. 7
    Carles Gil 2026 New England Revolution

    2.5M: 10G/18A, 22,000 avg draws, 110% return on salary

    Source ↗
  8. 8
    Evander 2026 Portland Timbers

    1.8M: 12G/8A, 21,000 crowds, 150 resales — best value north of Seattle

    Source ↗
  9. 9
    Giorgos Giakoumakis 2026 Atlanta United

    1.6𝑀:13𝐺/5𝐴,73,000𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑤𝑑𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑂𝑟𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑜,1.6M:13G/5A,73,000crowdboostatOrlando,130 tickets

    Source ↗
  10. 10
    Thiago Almada 2026 Atlanta United

    4.5M: 10G/14A, 25% crowd lift, 210 resales — highest paid U23 on list

    Source ↗

What Wenxin noticed

Atlanta United pays Thiago Almada 4.5M (more than Bouanga, Cucho, Evander combined) but their goal share is similar — suggesting ATL may be overpaying relative to output

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🇨🇳 Qwen10 places · 2 notes

The same question, answered by Qwen alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.

  1. 1
    Lionel Messi

    $28.3M salary draws 75,824 fans to Denver and forces a $468 resale ticket price, a 14x premium over RSL's usual match.

    Source ↗
  2. 2
    Son Heung-min

    $11.1M at LAFC makes him the highest-paid Asian player in history, doubling the Galaxy's Riqui Puig.

    Source ↗
  3. 3
    Rodrigo De Paul

    Miami's $9.7M midfield anchor earns more than the entire starting XI of three Eastern Conference cellar dwellers combined.

    Source ↗
  4. 4
    Hirving Lozano

    San Diego FC's inaugural $9.3M marquee signing carries the expansion club's attacking hopes.

    Source ↗
  5. 5
    Miguel Almirón

    Atlanta's $7.9M Paraguayan star remains the financial face of the Five Stripes despite shifting tactical roles.

    Source ↗
  6. 6
    Emil Forsberg

    New York Red Bulls' $6.0M captain is tasked with turning possession into goals in a tight playoff race.

    Source ↗
  7. 7
    Sam Surridge

    Nashville's $5.9M striker leads a balanced attacking threat for the Eastern Conference leaders.

    Source ↗
  8. 8
    Riqui Puig

    LA Galaxy's $5.8M maestro dictates the tempo in El Tráfico but earns less than half of his cross-town rival Son.

    Source ↗
  9. 9
    Jonathan Bamba

    Chicago Fire's $5.6M forward is a late-season sparkplug for a team hovering near the playoff bar.

    Source ↗
  10. 10
    Hany Mukhtar

    Nashville's $5.4M former MVP shares the spotlight, proving the league's top team doesn't rely on a single paycheck.

    Source ↗

What Qwen noticed

The Messi Effect on resale tickets: When Inter Miami visited Real Salt Lake, the average resale ticket price hit $468, which is nearly 14 times the price of RSL's usual home matches.

Source ↗

Unprecedented attendance spikes: Lionel Messi's visit to the Colorado Rapids drew 75,824 fans to Empower Field, marking the second-highest single-game attendance in MLS history.

Source ↗