(FILES) Inter Miami's Argentine forward #10 Lionel Messi gives a thumbs-up during the friendly football match between Peru's Alianza Lima and the US' Inter Miami at the Alejandro Villanueva Stadium in Lima on January 24, 2026. Argentine football player Lionel Messi remains the highest-paid player in MLS, according to an updated salary list released on May 12, 2026, which revealed the salaries of new arrivals such as James Rodriguez, German Berterame, and Timo Werner. (Photo by Connie FRANCE / AFP via Getty Images)