The Columbus Crew is one of lowest-paid teams in MLS

Data: MLS Players Association ; Note: Guaranteed compensation includes a player's base salary, agent's fees, and all signing, marketing and guaranteed bonuses annualized over the term of the player's contract, including option years; Table: Axios Visuals

The Columbus Crew is slated to pay its players a combined $15.2 million this season, per figures released by the MLS Players Association .

Context: The number is on the low-end for MLS teams, coming in 21st out of 29 squads.

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Yes, but: The Crew's front office apparently knows how to get the best bang for its buck.

• Columbus has won two of the past four MLS Cup titles and is headed to Mexico for the CONCACAF Champions Cup final this Saturday.

Zoom in: The team's highest paid player is Diego Rossi, a 26-year-old left wing from Uruguay, with $3.4 million in total compensation.

• He's the 19th-highest paid player in the league.

Follow the money: Two other Crew players are above the million-dollar mark: Cucho Hernández ($2.9 million) and Darlington Nagbe ($1.5 million).

• Most players earn salaries in the six-figure range.
• The lowest compensation package reported for a player is $73,000.

Lionel's coin bank: The league's highest-paid player is Lionel Messi, an international superstar who captains Inter Miami and the Argentinian national team.

• He's slated to earn $20.4 million playing in the U.S. this year and has more Instagram followers than you.
• Resale tickets to see Messi play at Lower.com Field in October start at $275 .