Miguel Almirón Ranking: 2026 Spring MLS Guaranteed Compensation $7.87 Million, 5th…Base Salary 4th
Miguel Almirón's average annual guaranteed compensation in the 2026 spring disclosure is $7,871,000, ranking 5th in MLS. His base salary ranks 4th; here we explain why the rankings differ within the same data.
Translated from Korean with AI assistance. Read the original. Sources and original publication dates are retained.
Three-line summary
- Almirón's average annual guaranteed compensation in the 2026 spring disclosure is $7,871,000, 5th in MLS.
- The same disclosure's base salary is $6,056,000, 4th, which is $56,000 more than Irving Rosano's.
- Lionel Messi, 1st in guaranteed compensation, recorded $28,333,333, about 3.6 times Almirón's.
In the 2018 season, Miguel Almirón was a 24-year-old midfielder who scored 12 goals and 14 assists and lifted the MLS Cup. He left for Newcastle United in January 2019 and returned to Atlanta United in January 2025, six years later. The figures that describe him now have changed: 5th in guaranteed compensation in the 2026 spring disclosure, but 4th in the base salary column of the same document.
Miguel Almirón ranks 5th; gap among the top 6 in guaranteed compensation
The ranking here is an MLS salary ranking, not a performance evaluation. Using the MLS Players Association (MLSPA) 2026 spring disclosure, sorted by amount, Almirón's average annual guaranteed compensation is $7,871,000, ranking 5th (as of 2026.04.14). The table that sorts players by guaranteed compensation from KC Soccer Journal also follows the same order.
Top 6 MLS Average Annual Guaranteed Compensation, 2026 Spring (as of 2026.04.14)
| Rank | Player | Club (at time of disclosure) | Guaranteed Compensation (USD) | Relative to Almirón (x) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lionel Messi | Inter Miami | 28,333,333 | 3.60 |
| 2 | Son Heung-min | LAFC | 11,152,852 | 1.42 |
| 3 | Rodrigo De Paul | Inter Miami | 9,688,320 | 1.23 |
| 4 | Irving Rosano | San Diego FC | 9,333,333 | 1.19 |
| 5 | Miguel Almirón | Atlanta United | 7,871,000 | 1.00 |
| 6 | Emil Forsberg | New York Red Bulls | 6,035,625 | 0.77 |
The multiples are each player's amount divided by $7,871,000. Lionel Messi (39) is about 3.6 times Almirón, and Son Heung-min (34) is about 1.42 times. Messi alone accounts for 39% of the six-player total of $72,414,463. The gap between Almirón and Rosano is $1,462,333, and between Almirón and Forsberg is $1,835,375, so the gap below is wider.
Miguel Almirón Salary: $6.05 Million vs. $7.87 Million, Why the Rankings Differ
'Salary' is one word, but the disclosure has two columns. Base salary is basic pay, and guaranteed compensation also includes the annual average share of signing bonuses and guaranteed bonuses spread over the contract term, as explained by Sports Illustrated. This outlet placed Almirón 4th in its table, which is ordered by base salary, so it does not conflict with KC Soccer Journal.
Base salary and guaranteed compensation comparison (as of 2026.04.14, USD)
| Player | Base Salary | Guaranteed Compensation | Difference | Difference Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lionel Messi | 25,000,000 | 28,333,333 | 3,333,333 | 11.8% |
| Son Heung-min | 10,368,750 | 11,152,852 | 784,102 | 7.0% |
| Miguel Almirón | 6,056,000 | 7,871,000 | 1,815,000 | 23.1% |
| Irving Rosano | 6,000,000 | 9,333,333 | 3,333,333 | 35.7% |
The player who overtakes Almirón is Rosano. In base salary, Almirón leads by $56,000. However, after subtracting base salary, the differences are $3,333,333 for Rosano and $1,815,000 for Almirón, a $1,518,333 gap that flips the order by $1,462,333 as the net. Share of difference is the difference divided by guaranteed compensation. Guaranteed compensation differs from actual cash received or total contract value.
Miguel Almirón Age 32, from Paraguay to Atlanta
Born February 10, 1994, Almirón is 32 years old as of November 2, 2026. He is a Paraguayan attacking midfielder and right winger. He won league titles with Cerro Porteño and Lanús before joining Atlanta in 2017. He was selected for the Best XI and All-Star team in 2017 and 2018. As of before the 2026 World Cup, he had 75 caps and 9 goals for Paraguay, and the national team reached the round of 16 in that tournament.
Newcastle: 223 appearances, 30 goals · MLS: 101 appearances, 27 goals, 38 assists
After lifting the MLS Cup, the destination he chose was Europe. Per the Newcastle club announcement, Almirón made 223 official appearances with 30 goals. MLS records of 101 appearances, 27 goals, and 38 assists (per his profile before the 2026 World Cup) have been reported. Because the league level and counting scope differ, the two records should not be read as a skill gap.
The disclosure does not explain any causal link between the fifth-place guaranteed compensation and the match record.
Miguel Almirón under contract through the 2027 season, transfer fee undisclosed
His return was announced on January 30, 2025. Newcastle did not disclose the transfer fee. MLS official site only reported it as $10 million plus options, so it cannot be treated as a confirmed figure. Son Heung-min's transfer fee of $26.5 million, 2nd in compensation rankings, is also a figure reported by ESPN and The Athletic, not an amount disclosed by the club.
According to the Atlanta announcement, the contract runs through the 2027 season and reportedly carries an option for the 2028 season. If the option is exercised, Almirón would be 34 in 2028. Whether the option will be exercised has not been confirmed. His current club is Atlanta.
Spring disclosure reference date: April 14, and numbers to check before reading the table
The reference date varies by outlet. The header of the official MLSPA PDF lists April 14, 2026, while Sports Illustrated and KC Soccer Journal list April 16. This article follows the April 14 date from the original data. The public release date is May 12, and contract changes or transfers after the reference date are not reflected in this table.
Figures to carry over: MLSPA 2026 spring disclosure (as of 2026.04.14): Almirón's average annual guaranteed compensation is $7,871,000, 5th in MLS; base salary is $6,056,000, 4th. His guaranteed compensation gap from 1st-place Messi is $20,462,333, from Rosano directly above is $1,462,333, and from Forsberg directly below is $1,835,375.
Searches on November 2, 2026 found no official payroll source newer than the spring disclosure, so the current ranking cannot be determined. KC Soccer Journal describes salary disclosure as a twice-yearly practice, and when a new disclosure comes out, the whole table must be updated. Even when several outlets show the same numbers, the source is MLSPA alone.
Frequently asked questions
Q. What is Miguel Almirón's ranking in MLS?
Per the MLSPA 2026 spring disclosure, his average annual guaranteed compensation ranks 5th and his base salary ranks 4th. These are salary rankings, not performance rankings, and as fixed data as of April 14, 2026, they may differ from current rankings.
Q. What is Miguel Almirón's salary?
Base salary in the 2026 spring disclosure is $6,056,000, and average annual guaranteed compensation is $7,871,000. Guaranteed compensation includes the annual average allocation of signing bonuses and guaranteed bonuses, and differs from actual cash received.
Q. Until when is Miguel Almirón's contract?
According to the Atlanta United announcement, it runs through the 2027 season and reportedly includes an option for the 2028 season.
Related official sites
- MLSPA 2026 spring official salary source data — check all players' base salaries and guaranteed compensation in the original text
- MLS Miguel Almirón official player profile — check club and MLS records
Hero image · Archival photo · Not an on-site photo of the current match in this article · Photo composite · Photo=Wikimedia Commons (Keiteay), CC BY 4.0 · Photo=Wikimedia Commons (Voltmetro), CC BY-SA 4.0
Related reading
· Son Heung-min salary ranking, 2nd in MLS at $11.15 million…$17.18 million gap with Messi
· $28.33 million…Messi salary ranks 1st in MLS, 2.5 times Son Heung-min's, 3rd in Forbes
· Son Heung-min salary, guaranteed compensation $11.15 million, 2nd in MLS…Messi is 2.5 times
Waiteu Editor · View profile and more articles