Kaka tops MLS salaries list

Los Angeles (AFP) – 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.