What Does It Mean When You Are the Designated Player in Soccer?

Major League Soccer's designated player rule is designed to help teams recruit and retain outstanding soccer players. Designated players are typically star players or young players for whom coaches have high expectations. Because each team has a salary cap, though, it can be challenging to pay star players what they are worth. The designated player rule aims to circumvent this problem.

  1. Salary Caps

    • In 2010, the salary cap on soccer teams in the U.S. was $2.55 million, which increases by 5 percent in each subsequent year. This budget is intended to cover the salaries of all members of the soccer team. Although this may seem like a large amount of money, it can make it difficult to pay star players what they are worth to the team. A famous soccer player could yield a team tens of millions of dollars in income, so some coaches believe it is unfair to pay them less than the salary cap.

    Designated Player Rule

    • The designated player rule allows soccer teams to count only a portion of a player's income against the team's salary cap. At the time of publication, $335,000 of each player's salary counts toward the team's salary cap and is paid by the soccer league. Amounts in excess of this salary must be paid by the team's owner. American soccer teams are permitted no more than three designated players each.

    Rule Changes

    • A 2011 change to the rules is aimed at recruiting more young international soccer stars. International recruits under 20 will be paid $150,000 that counts toward the team's budget. Those 21 to 23 will have $200,000 charged toward the team's budget, and those over 23 will have the normal salary cap rule of $335,000.

    Effects of Rule

    • Jack Bell of "The New York Times" states that the new international designated player rule allows for more international recruitment with less damage to a team's budget. Players who might be groomed into outstanding players get to join good teams earlier in their careers. However, Bell also points out that not all designated players become stars. Even if they do, they don't guarantee success for their team.