Injured David Beckham is still the highest-paid player in America's Major League Soccer.
Beckham, who hasn't played this season for the Los Angeles Galaxy because of a torn Achilles' tendon, again tops the league at $6.5 million in guaranteed pay this year, according to the list released yesterday by the MLS Players Union.
Galaxy teammate Landon Donovan is second at $2.13 million, followed by New York Red Bulls forward Juan Pablo Angel of Colombia at $1.92 million, Toronto midfielder Julian de Guzman at $1.72 million and Seattle midfielder Freddie Ljungberg of Sweden at $1.31 million.
In addition to Donovan, other US World Cup team players listed include the Galaxy's Edson Buddle ($188,448), Chivas USA's Jonathan Bornstein ($100,000) and Real Salt Lake's Robbie Findley ($87,316).
The average salary for the 406 players listed was $138,169, down 6.6 percent from a $147,945 average for 323 players at the start of last season.
The median income - the point at which an equal amount make above and below - was $88,500, an increase of $500 from last year.