Bale: MLS Lacks the World’s Top-Tier Players, So It Hasn’t Become a Top League

Gareth Bale, former Real Madrid player, recently stated in an exclusive interview with camel.live reporters that if Major League Soccer (MLS) wants to truly rank among the world’s top leagues, it must invest more funds and attract higher-caliber players—currently, MLS is missing the world’s absolute top players.

On his assessment of MLS

MLS has been making frequent moves in recent years, with 2025 in particular marking a milestone: the arrival of international stars such as Son Heung-min and Thomas Müller pushed the league’s annual transfer spending above $300 million. However, in Bale’s view, this is still far from enough. He noted: “The only reason MLS hasn’t become a top league yet is that the world’s absolute top players do not play here. The league is indeed making progress, but it is not yet at the highest level.”

On joining MLS

Bale admitted that he, like many European stars, only chose to join MLS in the latter stages of his career. “I really enjoyed my time there—honestly, I even wish I had gone earlier. But the reality is, when European clubs offer significantly higher salaries, you have to treat this as a profession. No one would take a significant pay cut purely to help develop another league, even if we might be willing to in our hearts.”

On MLS’s salary cap restrictions

Bale pointed out MLS’s current core limitation: its strict salary cap policy. Except for three “Designated Players (DPs)” who are exempt from the cap, total team salaries are strictly limited. While Lionel Messi earns over $20 million annually, the vast majority of players in the league earn less than $1 million per year—a stark contrast to top players in Europe.

He believes that for the league to accelerate its growth, it must relax salary restrictions and increase investment in young talents. “MLS already has great cities, professional stadiums, and passionate fans, but it still feels like something is missing. If it can attract outstanding young players earlier, the entire league’s development will be much faster.”

On the growing number of American businessmen investing in European football

Bale also specifically mentioned the group of American owners in European football, believing they are playing a positive role. “They don’t invest in football to lose money; instead, they are truly committed to promoting the sport’s development. Having American capital involved in European football is actually a good thing—it allows football to reach a broader audience.”

On MLS’s development prospects

With the 2026 World Cup approaching and the newly revamped Club World Cup bringing more exposure, Bale is optimistic about MLS’s future growth momentum. “Football is truly moving toward the mainstream in the United States—I played there and saw this change firsthand; it is real.”