There’s something different brewing in Cincinnati these days. It’s not just chili on spaghetti or a skyline that glows orange on matchday — it’s belief. FC Cincinnati has quietly turned itself from an MLS punchline into one of the league’s most complete, confident squads.
And the numbers back it up. The club ranks 5th in total base salary and 4th in guaranteed compensation across MLS, putting them shoulder to shoulder with the league’s big spenders. But here’s the kicker — they’ve built it on balance, not bravado.
This isn’t a team throwing cash at chaos. It’s a blueprint of the Midwest: tough, efficient, and just a little defiant.
🥇 Kévin Denkey — The Big Ben of the Queen City
Base Salary: $3,800,000
Guaranteed Salary: $3,810,000
If Cincinnati had a soundtrack, it’d be the thump of Kévin Denkey’s right foot. The Togolese striker is the pulse of the team — strong, sharp, and unrelenting. He doesn’t just score; he commands.
Nearly 20% of the club’s payroll rests on his boots, but every goal, every celebration, every roar from TQL Stadium reminds you why he’s worth every penny. He’s made the No. 9 shirt feel royal again.
🥈 Evander da Silva Ferreira — The Maestro with a Midwestern Groove
Base Salary: $3,200,000
Guaranteed Salary: $4,736,411
Where Denkey delivers power, Evander delivers poetry. The Brazilian playmaker has that rare ability to make the game slow down — to see a pass nobody else even thought of. He’s not just running the attack; he’s conducting a symphony in orange and blue.
His $4.7 million guaranteed salary makes him one of the priciest artists in MLS, but when he’s slicing through defenses with a no-look pass, it feels like the bargain of the century.
🥉 Matt Miazga — The Wall That Smiles Back
Base Salary: $1,575,000
Guaranteed Salary: $1,575,000
Every great side has a heartbeat in the back — and Matt Miazga beats steady and strong. His defensive instincts, leadership, and bite give Cincinnati the backbone it lacked for years.
At just over $1.5 million, Miazga is the dependable constant amid all the flair and flash. He’s the guy you trust when the match gets messy — a center-back who plays like he’s defending his hometown, not just his goal.
The Best Bang for the Buck
Behind the stars, Roman Celentano stands tall — literally and financially. At just $425K base, he’s arguably one of MLS’s best value keepers. Game after game, he’s saving points for the cost of a mid-tier backup elsewhere.
Add in Álvaro Barreal and Yuya Kubo, both earning around $750K, and you’ve got a team filled with workhorses who overperform their paychecks. That’s what makes this roster so complete — it’s not top-heavy, it’s team-heavy.
How They Stack Up Against the League
With a $23.2 million guaranteed payroll, Cincinnati accounts for about 3.9% of the MLS salary pool. They’re keeping pace with the elite without leaning on superstar indulgence.
In a league where some teams build brands, Cincy’s building a brotherhood. They’ve proved that money can buy talent — but only chemistry turns it into championships.
Full FC Cincinnati 2025 Player Salaries
(Base and Guaranteed compensation for all 30 rostered players)
| Player | Pos | Base | Guaranteed | Rank | % Base | % Guar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kévin Denkey | Center Forward | $3,800,000 | $3,810,000 | 1 | 19.3% | 16.4% |
| Evander da Silva Ferreira | Attacking Midfield | $3,200,000 | $4,736,411 | 2 | 16.3% | 20.4% |
| Matt Miazga | Center-back | $1,575,000 | $1,575,000 | 3 | 8.0% | 6.8% |
| Miles Robinson | Center-back | $1,503,411 | $1,650,171 | 4 | 7.6% | 7.1% |
| Obinna Nwobodo | Defensive Midfield | $982,350 | $1,241,250 | 5 | 5.0% | 5.4% |
| Teenage Hadebe | Center-back | $960,000 | $1,110,000 | 6 | 4.9% | 4.8% |
| Álvaro Barreal | Left Wing | $755,000 | $917,238 | 7 | 3.8% | 4.0% |
| Yuya Kubo | Attacking Midfield | $750,000 | $821,667 | 8 | 3.8% | 3.5% |
| Lukas Engel | Left-back | $750,000 | $825,781 | 8 | 3.8% | 3.6% |
| Dominik Marczuk | Right Wing | $660,000 | $735,500 | 10 | 3.4% | 3.2% |
| Luca Orellano | Right Wing | $600,000 | $943,950 | 11 | 3.0% | 4.1% |
| Samuel Gidi | Central Midfield | $540,000 | $611,050 | 12 | 2.7% | 2.6% |
| Pavel Bucha | Central Midfield | $474,996 | $523,778 | 13 | 2.4% | 2.3% |
| Roman Celentano | Goalkeeper | $425,000 | $474,000 | 14 | 2.2% | 2.0% |
| Gilberto Flores | Center-back | $364,992 | $411,664 | 15 | 1.9% | 1.8% |
| Ender Echenique | Right Wing | $324,000 | $414,180 | 16 | 1.6% | 1.8% |
| Ayoub Jabbari | Center Forward | $300,000 | $354,800 | 17 | 1.5% | 1.5% |
| Alvas Powell | Right-back | $275,000 | $319,500 | 18 | 1.4% | 1.4% |
| Nick Hagglund | Center-back | $250,000 | $266,667 | 19 | 1.3% | 1.2% |
| Alec Kann | Goalkeeper | $192,500 | $192,500 | 20 | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Brenner Souza da Silva | Center Forward | $119,259 | $280,120 | 21 | 0.6% | 1.2% |
| Gerardo Valenzuela | Attacking Midfield | $104,000 | $121,542 | 22 | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Kei Kamara | Center Forward | $104,000 | $119,000 | 22 | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Tah Anunga | Central Midfield | $104,000 | $116,500 | 22 | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Stiven Jimenez | Central Midfield | $104,000 | $104,000 | 22 | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| Evan Louro | Goalkeeper | $104,000 | $109,000 | 22 | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Paul Walters | Goalkeeper | $104,000 | $111,967 | 22 | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Brad Smith | Left-back | $104,000 | $114,000 | 22 | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Ștefan Chirilă | Center Forward | $80,622 | $95,402 | 29 | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| Kenji Mboma Dem | Center Forward | $80,622 | $80,622 | 29 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
If there are any new signings or any other updates to the current player salaries, I will update the information above.
Here are the player salaries for all the teams in the MLS.
Final Whistle
The rise of FC Cincinnati feels like a Rust Belt renaissance — a proud, hardworking city building something beautiful one smart move at a time.
It’s blue-collar meets big ambition. It’s the underdog that learned how to win without losing its edge. And it’s proof that in MLS, you don’t have to be Hollywood to make history — you just have to believe in your own blueprint.
