Christian Pulisic to Folarin Balogun: Highest-Paid USMNT Players Revealed

Christian Pulisic remains the highest-paid player in the United States men’s national team pool, but his lead is narrowing as a growing number of Americans secure major contracts after moves to top European clubs. Based on the reported figures, Pulisic is set to earn an estimated $6.03 million in gross fixed salary for the 2025-26 season at AC Milan, not including bonuses. Malik Tillman is close behind after joining Bayer Leverkusen, with an estimated annual salary of $5.55 million. Timothy Weah, now at Marseille, is reported at about $5.35 million, while Johnny Cardoso’s transfer to Atlético Madrid puts him at roughly $4.90 million. Together, those numbers show how quickly the financial gap at the top of the USMNT pool is closing. Not long ago, Pulisic stood alone in a salary tier of his own. Today, several U.S. internationals are operating in nearly the same range, and many of them are still in the early stages of their careers.

The broader salary list also reflects the rising value of American players in Europe. Sergiño Dest at PSV is listed at $4.61 million, while Tyler Adams at Bournemouth and Antonee Robinson at Fulham are both reported at $4.25 million. Folarin Balogun’s salary at Monaco is estimated at $3.79 million, closely followed by Weston McKennie at Juventus on $3.78 million. Brenden Aaronson, playing for Leeds United, is said to earn $3.18 million, and Yunus Musah at Atalanta is estimated at $3.01 million. Lower on the list, Matt Turner’s return to Major League Soccer with the New England Revolution is reported at $1.78 million, while Giovanni Reyna’s salary at Borussia Mönchengladbach is listed at $1.33 million.

The salary rankings mirror a larger shift in the transfer market as well. Pulisic’s $74.1 million move from Borussia Dortmund to Chelsea in 2019 remains the benchmark for American transfers, but recent deals suggest that standard is becoming more common. Balogun’s move to Monaco, Cardoso’s switch to Atlético Madrid and Tillman’s transfer to Bayer Leverkusen all highlight the same trend: U.S. players are no longer rare exceptions in the high-value European market. Even transfers below that level are drawing attention. Patrick Agyemang’s move from Charlotte FC to Derby County, reportedly worth around $8 million, stands out as one of the biggest fees ever for an MLS SuperDraft pick.

What matters most is the depth of the pool. Established regulars such as Adams, Robinson and Dest are already earning at top-level European wages, while younger players like Tillman, Musah and Balogun are reaching salary levels that once required years of Champions League experience. For the U.S. team building toward the 2026 World Cup on home soil, that depth is a major advantage. Pulisic remains the headline name, but the rest of the roster is now catching up in value, status and expectation.