FORMER BRAZIL STAR Kaka topped the list of Major League Soccer’s highest-paid players for a third straight year, according to official figures released on Tuesday.
A comprehensive breakdown of basic salary and guaranteed earnings issued by the MLS Players Union showed Orlando’s Kaka coming out on top with wages of $7.168 million (6.553 million euros).
The 35-year-old 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year headed to MLS in 2014 after a second stint with AC Milan.
The top 10 highest-earners in MLS are dominated by foreign players, with Toronto’s Italian international Sebastian Giovinco second on the list with a salary of $7.116 million.
Giovinco’s Toronto team-mate, United States skipper Michael Bradley, is third with a salary of $6.5 million.
New York City FC’s duo of Andrea Pirlo and David Villa were fourth and fifth on the list, earning $5.915 million and $5.61 million respectively.
Chicago Fire’s recently arrived former Bayern Munich and Germany star Bastian Schweinsteiger was seventh with a guaranteed $5.4 million.
US internationals Jozy Altidore ($4.875 million) and Clint Dempsey ($3.892 million) were eighth and ninth on the list.
Argentinian midfielder Diego Valeri of the Portland Timbers rounded out the top 10 with a salary of $2.607 million.
At the other end of the scale, several players in MLS earn the minimum wage of $53,004 a year.
Top 10 salary earners:
1. Kaka (Orlando City) — $7.17 million
2. Sebastian Giovinco (Toronto FC) — $7.12 million
3. Michael Bradley (Toronto FC) — $6.5 million
4. Andrea Pirlo (New York City FC) — $5.9 million
5. David Villa (New York City FC) — $5.6 million
6. Giovani dos Santos (LA Galaxy) — $5.5 million
7. Bastian Schweinsteiger (Chicago Fire) — $5.4 million
8. Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC) — $4.9 million
9. Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders) — $3.9 million
10. Diego Valeri (Portland Timbers) — $2.6 million
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