Soccer-Kaka is top-paid MLS player for third straight year

Orlando City midfielder Kaka is the highest-paid Major League Soccer player for a third consecutive year with over $7 million in annual earnings, according to figures released by the MLS Players Union on Tuesday.

The former Brazil midfielder, who has not played since picking up a hamstring injury in the first game of Orlando's season in early March, will earn $7.2 million in total compensation in 2017.

Italian forward and former Landon Donovan MVP Award winner Sebastian Giovinco was second on the list with $7.1 million in total compensation followed by U.S. national team captain and Toronto team mate Michael Bradley ($6.5 million).

New York City's Italian midfielder Andrea Pirlo ($5.9 million) and team mate David Villa ($5.6 million) of Spain rounded out the top five.

Los Angeles Galaxy forward Giovani Dos Santos ($5.5 million) was sixth among the league's highest-paid players while Bastian Schweinsteiger, in his first year with the Chicago Fire, was ranked seventh at ($5.4 million).

Making up the top 10 were Jozy Altidore ($4.9 million), Clint Dempsey ($3.9 million) and Argentine Diego Valeri ($2.6 million).

MLS teams do not disclose salary information when announcing player contracts but the figures are confirmed by the union twice each year.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)