MLS millionaire club grows to 46 players
- by Paul Kennedy @pkedit, May 10, 2018
MLS Millionaires:
2018 (46)
2017 (28)
2016 (24)
2015 (23)
2014 (15)
2013 (9)
2012 (12)
That's more than five times the number of players making $1 million or more than five years ago. More than half the millionaires entered or re-entered MLS in 2017 or 2018.
With the retirement of Kaka, Toronto FC's Sebastian Giovinco became MLS's highest-paid player with total compensation of $7,115,556. LAFC's Carlos Vela is the only newcomer player in the top 10, ranking third at $6,292,500.
The big change in MLS
compensation has come in terms of paying players above the maximum of $540,375 thanks to the injection of Targeted Allocation Money and now Discretionary Targeted Allocation Money. Of the 139 players
making above the maximum salary, 37 entered MLS in 2018.
Only seven of the 46 millionaires are U.S. internationals. Of the 139 players making above the maximum salary, 25 are U.S,
internationals or eligible for the U.S. national team.
Salary compensation is not necessarily reflective of a player's total salary charge against the cap -- which includes transfer fees
-- or a player's total compensation -- some of which can come in the form of money paid for the player's transfer.
RANK PLAYER FIRST YEAR
TEAM TOTAL COMPENSATION
1. Sebastian Giovinco (2015) Toronto FC $7,115,555.67
2. Michael Bradley (2014) Toronto FC $6,500,000.00
3. *Carlos
Vela (2018) LAFC $6,292,500.00
4. Bastian Schweinsteiger (2017) Chicago Fire $6,100,000.08
5. Giovani dos Santos (2015) LA Galaxy $6,000,000.00
6. David Villa (2015) New York City FC $5,610,000.00
7. Jozy Altidore (2015) Toronto FC $5,000,000.00
8. Ignacio Piatti (2014) Montreal Impact
$4,713,333.37
9. Tim Howard (2016) Colorado Rapids $2,475,000.00
10. Diego Valeri (2013) Portland Timbers $2,380,000.00
11. Nicolas Lodeiro (2016) Seattle
Sounders $2,302,500.00
12. Miguel Almiron (2017) Atlanta United $2,297,000.00
13. Yura Movsisyan (2006/2016) MLS (out of league) $2,073,750.00
14.
Maxi Moralez (2017) New York City FC $2,000,000.04
14. Jonathan dos Santos (2017) LA Galaxy $2,000,000.04
16. Fanendo Adi (2014) Portland Timbers $1,933,333.33
17. Nemanja Nikolic (2017) Chicago Fire $1,906,333.37
18. Romain Alessandrini (2017) LA Galaxy $1,869,996.00
19. *Borek Dockal (2018) Philadelphia Union
$1,714,285.68
20. Shkelzen Gashi (2016) Colorado Rapids $1,668,750.00
21. Clint Dempsey (2013) Seattle Sounders FC $1,650,000.04
22. *Darwin Quintero (2018)
Minnesota United $1,650,000.00
23. *Felipe Gutierrez (2018) Sporting KC $1,649,999.96
24. Bradley Wright-Phillips (2013) NY Red Bulls $1,635,000.00
25.
Victor Vazquez (2017) Toronto FC $1,500,000.00
25. *Zlatan Ibrahimovic (2018) LA Galaxy $1,500,000.00
27. Vako (2017) San Jose Earthquakes
$1,454,042.36
28. *Ezequiel Barco (2018) Atlanta United $1,425,000.00
29. Josef Martinez (2017) Atlanta United $1,387,318.00
30. Dom Dwyer (2012) Orlando
City SC $1,383,333.33
31. Sebastian Blanco (2017) Portland Timbers $1,375,008.00
32. *Ager Aketxe (2018)Toronto FC $1,295,000.04
33. *Aleksandar Katai
(2018) Chicago Fire $1,276,333.33
34. Alejandro Bedoya (2016) Philadelphia Union $1,266,250.00
35. David Accam (2015) Philadelphia Union $1,250,000.04
36.
*Alfredo Ortuno (2018) Real Salt Lake $1,162,500.00
37. Osvaldo Alonso (2009) Seattle Sounders $1,141,667.04
38. Sacha Kljestan (2006/2015) Orlando City
$1,100,000.04
38. Federico Higuain (2012) Columbus Crew $1,100,000.04
40. Victor Rodriguez (2017) Seattle Sounders $1,087,499.96
41. *Diego Rossi
(2018) LAFC $1,052,000.08
42. Lucas Melano (2015) Portland Timbers (on loan) $1,050,000.00
43. *Damir Kreilach (2018) Real Salt Lake $1,013,333.33
44.
Krisztian Nemeth (2015/2017) New England $1,007,666.67
45. *Jorgen Skjelvik (2018) LA Galaxy $1,000,000.00
45. Kei Kamara (2006/2015) Vancouver Whitecaps
$1,000,000.00
* Joined MLS this season.
