Former LAFC Veteran Reveals MLS’ Salary Truth Despite Lionel Messi, Son Heung-Min’s Record Deals

$649,120 — This is the current average guaranteed compensation for MLS players in 2025, as reported by the MLS Players Association, better known as the MLSPA. Not to mention, this marks a healthy 9.2% jump from the $594,389 figure noted back in May 2024. Of course, these numbers are nowhere near what players earn in Europe or under Saudi Arabia’s riches, but the American league seems to be doing just fine — or is it, considering what former LAFC star Gareth Bale has to say about things being “not quite right yet”?

What about Lionel Messi’s massive $12 million base salary, which climbs to an annual compensation of $20,446,667, or LAFC shattering the league’s transfer record by signing Son Heung-Min from Tottenham for $26 million and offering him wages comparable to La Pulga? On the surface, it might seem like MLS is being generous when it comes to paying its stars. However, Gareth Bale argues that the league’s restrictive pay structure — the so-called “salary cap” — is still holding it back.

“I really loved my time here, and I actually wished I came over earlier,” began the former Welsh star during a recent episode of Portfolio Players with Front Office Sports. Behold, his affection for MLS came with strings attached, as the former Real Madrid superstar added, “But if you’re getting offered a lot more money in Europe, it’s a job at the end of the day, you’re not really gonna take less salary to come here and grow the game, unfortunately, which we’d all love to do, but it’s just not really viable.”

For someone who spent only a brief yet impactful stint in MLS—helping LAFC capture the MLS Cup before calling time on his short final season—this might sound like a bold statement. Then again, it’s coming from a man who, after joining Real Madrid in 2013 for a then-world-record £85 million fee ($132 million), signed a 2016 contract extension worth an astonishing £150 million ($200 million) over six years, making him the highest-paid player on the planet at the time.

Guess how much he earned in Los Angeles? Well, not more than $2.39 million, literally making it pocket change compared to what Fiorentina Perez used to pay him at Bernabeu. That’s the only reason why Bale insists on MLS to think beyond the salary cap. “If you can get more money into football in the MLS and attract more players over, because you have the cities, you have the stadiums, you have the fan base, but it’s just something’s not quite right yet,” added the retired Welsh star.

Sadly, there’s virtually no chance Major League Soccer will ditch its restrictive salary-cap model anytime soon. But why is that? Not to mention, even their American counterpart women’s league has often faced criticism over the “salary cap” despite millions worth of investment.

MLS offered a “quicker” alternative to grow despite Lionel Messi, Son Heung-Min presence

Unlike Europe’s open-market system, MLS operates as a single entity, keeping spending tightly controlled. The only real loophole is the “Designated Player” rule, which allows clubs to splash out on three stars at wages closer to European levels—exactly how Inter Miami managed to land Lionel Messi on a deal worth over $20 million annually, while also boasting other big names like Rodrigo De Paul, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba.

Beyond that, the rest of the team’s 20-man roster must fit under a strict $5.95 million cap, with most players limited to salaries under $750,000. No wonder Messi stands alone as the league’s only eight-figure earner, while even the second-best-paid player doesn’t crack $9 million. Heck, before the Argentinian superstar’s presence, it was reported in 2023 that despite boasting a $1.3 billion market value, MLS was regarded as the league with the lowest-paid players in the world.

How that has changed is something that remains questionable. Then again, if that’s the case, Gareth Bale has a proposition to offer: “I think if you’re able to get younger, better players over sooner, it would grow quicker here as well,” he concluded.

Whether MLS will ever reconsider, this is questionable. However, it’s not just the men’s league facing these issues—the NWSL is also grappling with similar dilemmas, leading to unfortunate situations where players leave for Europe or even Saudi Arabia, where clubs aren’t shy about throwing around massive sums of money.

Keep in mind, though, that stars like Lionel Messi and Son Heung-min have reportedly turned down billion-dollar offers from Middle Eastern giants in favor of MLS, a league known for offering a unique experience. Either way, it’s a gray area—so you be the judge. Share your views in the comments.