Zlatan Ibrahimovic Becomes The Highest Paid Player In MLS
Jun 14, 2019 at 1:21 PM
Swedish star Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be earning a staggering amount of $7.2 million this season, most in MLS history.
Since arriving in the Major League Soccer, Zlatan has put his mark in the league scoring amazing goals and with his behavioural issues. In one and a half season in the MLS he has scored 33 goals and provided 13 assists.
Ibra’s decision to stay in the United States is paying off with the enormous rise in his salary from $1.5 million which he was getting paid in his first season at LA Galaxy to $7.2 million.
The average base salary for senior-roster, non-designated players is $345,867, up 13.3 percent, according to the MLSPA. Over five years, that figure has grown 150 percent. The minimum salary for players on the supplemental roster is $70,250, while those on the reserve roster make at least $56,250.
“We are encouraged by the continued salary growth that has occurred over each of the last five years. As the League grows and revenues increase, it’s critical that we see this kind of continued investment in player compensation up and down the roster,” said MLSPA Executive Director Bob Foose.
“Players are the heart of MLS, and if MLS is to become the league of choice that it aspires to be, it needs to keep pace in an increasingly competitive market for players, both domestic and international. We feel good about these trends, and we expect to see them continue.”
“As I have believed from the beginning when the Players Association fought to make this data public, access to salary information benefits players through added transparency in the contract market,” said Foose.
“Transparency is critical to ensure player performance is properly rewarded.”
The top-10 earners in Major League Soccer:
1. Zlatan Ibrahimović (Los Angeles Galaxy): $7.2m
2. Michael Bradley (Toronto FC): $6.5m
2. Giovani dos Santos (Los Angeles Galaxy): $6.5m
4. Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC): $6.332m
5. Carlos Vela (LAFC): $6.3m
6. Bastian Schweinsteiger (Chicago Fire): $5.6m
7. Ignacio Piatti (Montreal Impact): $4.443m
8. Alejandro Pozuelo (Toronto FC): $3.8m
9. Wayne Rooney (D.C. United): $3.507m
10. Josef Martinez (Atlanta United): $3.058m