Brazilian midfielder Kaka is the highest-paid player in Major League Soccer this season, taking home $7.167 million from Orlando City according to salary figures released Friday by the MLS Players Union.
The former Milan and Real Madrid star edged Toronto’s Sebastien Giovinco, the former Juventus striker from Italy on $7.115 million, while such high-profile new arrivals as England’s Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard saw their compensation made public as well, the duo among 21 MLS players who will crack the $1 million mark this year.
Midfielder Gerrard is assured $6.332 million from the Los Angeles Galaxy while Lampard will receive $6 million from New York City. And each of them have some well-paid new teammates as well.
Italy’s Andrea Pirlo will be paid $2.315 million by New York City, which also shells out $5.61 million to Spaniard David Villa. Irishman Robbie Keane will receive $4.5 million from the Galaxy, who also will give Mexico’s Giovani dos Santos $4.1 million.
Among Americans, the highest-compensated player is Michael Bradley at $6.5 million from Toronto, which also pays $4.75 million to his US and Canadian club teammate Jozy Altidore while Seattle’s Clint Dempsey ranks third with $4.6 million. –Â Agence France-Presse
