CF Montréal had MLS’s lowest payroll in 2024

Lionel Messi alone made almost twice as much as the entire Montreal team, new salary figures show.

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BETHESDA, Md. — Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi earned more than the entire payrolls of 22 other Major League Soccer teams, and almost twice as much as the entire payroll of CF Montréal, which had the lowest payroll in the league.

The Major League Soccer Players Association released its salary update on Thursday and Messi’s $12 million base salary and $20,446,667 in total compensation from Inter Miami remained the same as in the initial listing in May.

Those figures cover what Messi receives from his MLS deal, which runs through the 2025 season, including any marketing bonus and agent’s fees. They do not account for any additional agreements with the team or its affiliates, or for any performance bonuses.

Average guaranteed compensation rose 9.8 per cent to $596,226 from $543,207.

Miami, the league’s regular-season Supporters Shield champion, led the league with a record $41.7 million payroll, double all but Toronto ($31.8 million), Los Angeles FC ($22.1 million), the LA Galaxy ($22 million) and Nashville ($21.9 million).

Montreal, at $11.4 million, had the lowest payroll, with Philadelphia ($13.8 million) and Dallas ($13.9 million) the next lowest.

Miami midfielder Sergio Busquets is second in the league in salary at $8,499,996 and has $8,774,996 in total compensation. Toronto winger Lorenzo Insigne has a $7.5 million salary and $15.4 million in total compensation.

Midfielder Victor Wanyama was CF Montréal’s highest paid player, with $1.44 million in base salary and $1.8 million in guaranteed compensation, putting him 52nd on the list overall in the 29-team league. Forward Josef Martinez ($1.3 million), forward Matias Coccaro ($888,000), midfielder Lassi Lappalainen ($750,000) and defender Tom Pearce ($507,625) rounded out the top five. The remaining players earned between $71,401 and $485,000.

CF Montréal player compensation

1. Victor Wanyama (midfielder): $1,800,000.00
2. Josef Marti­nez (forward): $1,309,091.00
3. Mati­as Coccaro (forward): $888,000.00
4. Lassi Lappalainen (midfielder): $750,000.00
5. Tom Pearce (defender): $507,625.00
6. Kwadwo Opoku (forward): $485,055.00
7. George Campbell (defender): $441,250.00
8. Samuel Piette (midfielder): $434,500.00
9. Sunusi Ibrahim (forward): $410,000.00
10. Bryce Duke (midfielder): $406,875.00
11. Dominik Yankov (midfielder): $385,000.00
12. Joel Waterman (defender): $384,333.00
13. Caden Clark (midfielder): $382,000.00
14. Raheem Edwards (defender): $367,500.00
15. Dawid Bugaj (defender): $267,600.00
16. Fernando Alvarez (defender): $257,000.00
17. Joaquin Sosa (defender): $251,500.00
18. Robert Thorkelsson (defender): $248,500.00*
19. Gabriele Corbo (defender): $216,350.00
20. Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty (defender): $181,813.00
21. Jonathan Sirois (goalkeeper): $152,156.00
22. Nathan-Dylan Saliba (midfielder): $142,434.00
23. Rida Zouhir (midfielder): $100,452.00*
24. Ilias Iliadis (midfielder): $96,591.00*
25. Jules-Anthony Vilsaint (forward): $96,591.00
26. Logan Ketterer (goalkeeper): $92,610.00
27. Sebastian Breza (goalkeeper): $89,716.00
28. Matteo Schiavoni (midfielder): $77,383.00*
29. Grayson Doody (defender): $73,682.00*
30. Alessandro Biello (midfielder): $71,401.00
31. Ousman Jabang (defender): $71,401.00*

*Player is on loan to another team.