Designated Player Rule
The Designated Player Rule, nicknamed the Beckham Rule, allows Major League Soccer franchises to sign up to three players that would be considered outside their salary cap (either by offering the player higher wages or by paying a transfer fee for the player). The rule was adopted ahead of the 2007 MLS season, and it enables teams to compete for star players in the international soccer market. The rule is one of two ways which MLS teams may exceed their salary cap, the other being allocation money. As of December 2019, there have been 209 Designated Players in league history.
The rule is named after David Beckham.[1][2] Beckham was the first player signed under this rule, signing a five-year contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy with a guaranteed annual salary of $6.5 million.[3][4]
Club DP History
- As of August 12, 2020
Notes
- The below list indicates players who have had their contract assigned as a Designated Player (DP) contract during their time in MLS. Players may have not always have had a DP contract, or have later had their contract negotiated below a DP level. Similarly, some players have been in MLS whose salary has been at a DP level, but the club has opted to bring their salary below the DP threshold using General Allocation Money or Targeted Allocation Money. Their listed "Years as DP" indicates what seasons they were active as a DP for that club only. Players in bold are currently signed to a DP contract by their club.
- Former MLS sides Miami Fusion and Tampa Bay Mutiny were dissolved before the introduction of the Designated Player Rule.
Atlanta United FC
Austin FC
| Player | Previous club | Years as DP |
|---|---|---|
| File:Flag of Paraguay.svg Cecilio Domínguez | File:Flag of Argentina.svg Independiente | 2021– |
Chicago Fire
Chivas USA (defunct)
| Player | Previous club | Years as DP |
|---|---|---|
| File:Flag of Colombia.svg Juan Pablo Ángel | 2011–2012 | |
| File:Flag of Ecuador.svg Oswaldo Minda | File:Flag of Ecuador.svg Deportivo Quito | 2012–2014 |
| 2012 | ||
| 2013–2014 | ||
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Mauro Rosales | 2014 |
FC Cincinnati
| Player | Previous club | Years as DP |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | ||
| 2019– | ||
| File:Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Gent | 2020– | |
| File:Flag of the Netherlands.svg Jürgen Locadia | 2020– |
Colorado Rapids
| Player | Previous club | Years as DP |
|---|---|---|
| File:Flag of Venezuela.svg Zamora | 2013–2015 | |
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Juan Edgardo Ramírez | File:Flag of Argentina.svg Argentinos Juniors | 2015–2017 |
| 2015–2016 | ||
| 2016–2018 | ||
| 2016–2019 | ||
| 2020– |
Columbus Crew SC
| Player | Previous club | Years as DP |
|---|---|---|
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Guillermo Barros Schelotto | File:Flag of Argentina.svg Boca Juniors | 2009–2010 |
| 2010–2011 | ||
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Federico Higuaín | File:Flag of Argentina.svg Colón | 2012–2019 |
| 2016 | ||
| 2017 | ||
| 2017– | ||
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Milton Valenzuela | File:Flag of Argentina.svg Newell's Old Boys | 2018–2019 |
| 2019– | ||
| 2019 | ||
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Lucas Zelarayán | 2020– |
FC Dallas
D.C. United
| Player | Previous club | Years as DP |
|---|---|---|
| File:Flag of Brazil.svg Luciano Emílio | 2008–2009 | |
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Marcelo Gallardo | 2008 | |
| 2010–2012 | ||
| 2011–2013 | ||
| 2012 | ||
| File:Flag of Brazil.svg Rafael | File:Flag of Brazil.svg Bahia | 2013 |
| 2014–2015 | ||
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Fabián Espíndola | 2015–2016 | |
| 2017– | ||
| 2018–2019 | ||
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Lucas Rodríguez | File:Flag of Argentina.svg Estudiantes | 2019 |
| 2020– |
Houston Dynamo
| Player | Previous club | Years as DP |
|---|---|---|
| 2009–2010 | ||
| 2012–2014 | ||
| 2012–2016 | ||
| 2013–2014 | ||
| 2014–2016 | ||
| File:Flag of Colombia.svg Mauro Manotas | File:Flag of Colombia.svg Uniautónoma | 2015–2016 |
| 2015–2017 | ||
| 2017–2020 | ||
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Tomás Martínez | 2017– |
Inter Miami CF
| Player | Previous club | Years as DP |
|---|---|---|
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Matías Pellegrini | File:Flag of Argentina.svg Estudiantes | 2020– |
| 2020– | ||
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Gonzalo Higuaín | 2020– |
LA Galaxy
| Player | Previous club | Years as DP |
|---|---|---|
| 2007–2012 | ||
| 2010–2014 | ||
| File:Flag of Colombia.svg Juan Pablo Ángel | 2011 | |
| 2011–2016 | ||
| 2013–2015 | ||
| 2015–2016 | ||
| 2015–2018 | ||
| File:Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Jelle Van Damme | File:Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Standard Liège | 2016–2017[5] |
| 2017–2019 | ||
| 2017– | ||
| 2019 | ||
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Cristian Pavón | File:Flag of Argentina.svg Boca Juniors | 2020– |
| 2020– |
Los Angeles FC
| Player | Previous club | Years as DP |
|---|---|---|
| 2018– | ||
| File:Flag of Uruguay.svg Diego Rossi | File:Flag of Uruguay.svg Peñarol | 2018– |
| 2018–2019 | ||
| File:Flag of Uruguay.svg Brian Rodríguez | File:Flag of Uruguay.svg Peñarol | 2019– |
Minnesota United FC
| Player | Previous club | Years as DP |
|---|---|---|
| File:Flag of Colombia.svg Darwin Quintero | 2018–2019 | |
| File:Flag of Colombia.svg Ángelo Rodríguez | File:Flag of Colombia.svg Deportes Tolima | 2018–2019 |
| 2019– | ||
| File:Flag of Uruguay.svg Thomás Chacón | File:Flag of Uruguay.svg Danubio | 2019– |
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Emanuel Reynoso | File:Flag of Argentina.svg Boca Juniors | 2020– |
Montreal Impact
| Player | Previous club | Years as DP |
|---|---|---|
| 2012–2014 | ||
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Hernán Bernardello | 2013–2014 | |
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Ignacio Piatti | File:Flag of Argentina.svg San Lorenzo | 2014–2019 |
| 2015–2016 | ||
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Lucas Ontivero | 2016 | |
| 2017 | ||
| 2018– | ||
| 2020– |
Nashville SC
| Player | Previous club | Years as DP |
|---|---|---|
| 2020– | ||
| 2020– | ||
| File:Flag of Venezuela.svg Jhonder Cádiz | 2020– |
New England Revolution
| Player | Previous club | Years as DP |
|---|---|---|
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Milton Caraglio | File:Flag of Argentina.svg Rosario Central | 2011 |
| 2012 | ||
| 2012–2014 | ||
| 2014–2015 | ||
| 2016 | ||
| 2016–2017 | ||
| 2016–2017 | ||
| 2018 | ||
| 2019– | ||
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Gustavo Bou | 2019– | |
| 2020– |
New York City FC
| Player | Previous club | Years as DP |
|---|---|---|
| 2014–2018 | ||
| 2015–2016 | ||
| 2015–2017 | ||
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Maximiliano Moralez | 2017– | |
| File:Flag of Paraguay.svg Jesús Medina | File:Flag of Paraguay.svg Libertad | 2018– |
| 2019–2020 |
New York Red Bulls
| Player | Previous club | Years as DP |
|---|---|---|
| 2007–2008 | ||
| File:Flag of Colombia.svg Juan Pablo Ángel | 2007–2010 | |
| 2010–2014 | ||
| 2010–2012 | ||
| 2011 | ||
| 2012–2014 | ||
| 2015–2016, 2017–2019 | ||
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Gonzalo Verón | File:Flag of Argentina.svg San Lorenzo | 2015–2017 |
| File:Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Anderlecht | 2016–2017 | |
| 2016 | ||
| File:Flag of Paraguay.svg Alejandro Romero Gamarra | File:Flag of Argentina.svg Huracán | 2018– |
| 2019–2020 | ||
| 2020– |
Orlando City SC
| Player | Previous club | Years as DP |
|---|---|---|
| File:Flag of Brazil.svg Kaká | 2014–2017 | |
| File:Flag of Colombia.svg Carlos Rivas | File:Flag of Colombia.svg Deportivo Cali | 2015–2017 |
| 2015–2016 | ||
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Matías Pérez García | 2016–2017 | |
| 2017 | ||
| 2017 | ||
| 2018– | ||
| 2018 | ||
| File:Flag of Paraguay.svg Josué Colmán | File:Flag of Paraguay.svg Cerro Porteño | 2018–2019 |
| 2019– | ||
| File:Flag of Uruguay.svg Mauricio Pereyra | 2019– |
Philadelphia Union
| Player | Previous club | Years as DP |
|---|---|---|
| 2011–2012 | ||
| File:Flag of Brazil.svg Kléberson | File:Flag of Brazil.svg Bahia | 2013 |
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Cristian Maidana | File:Flag of Chile.svg Rangers de Talca | 2014–2015 |
| 2014–2017 | ||
| File:Flag of Venezuela.svg Fernando Aristeguieta | 2015 | |
| 2016–2019 | ||
| 2018 | ||
| 2019 | ||
| 2020– |
Portland Timbers
| Player | Previous club | Years as DP |
|---|---|---|
| File:Flag of Colombia.svg Diego Chará | File:Flag of Colombia.svg Deportes Tolima | 2011–2013 |
| 2012 | ||
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Diego Valeri | File:Flag of Argentina.svg Lanús | 2013–2019 |
| 2014–2015, 2016–2018 | ||
| 2014–2016 | ||
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Lucas Melano | File:Flag of Argentina.svg Lanús | 2015–2016, 2019 |
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Sebastián Blanco | File:Flag of Argentina.svg San Lorenzo | 2017– |
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Brian Fernández | 2019 | |
| File:Flag of Colombia.svg Yimmi Chará | File:Flag of Brazil.svg Atlético Mineiro | 2020– |
| 2020– |
Real Salt Lake
| Player | Previous club | Years as DP |
|---|---|---|
| 2011–2015 | ||
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Javier Morales | 2011–2015 | |
| 2015 | ||
| File:Flag of Ecuador.svg Joao Plata | 2015–2016 | |
| File:Flag of Chile.svg Sebastián Jaime | File:Flag of Chile.svg Unión Española | 2014–2015 |
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Juan Manuel Martínez | File:Flag of Argentina.svg Boca Juniors | 2015–2016 |
| 2016–2017 | ||
| File:Flag of the Netherlands.svg Groningen | 2017– | |
| File:Flag of Venezuela.svg Jefferson Savarino | File:Flag of Venezuela.svg Zulia | 2017–2019 |
| 2019– | ||
| File:Flag of Venezuela.svg Jeizon Ramírez | File:Flag of Venezuela.svg Deportivo Táchira | 2020– |
San Jose Earthquakes
| Player | Previous club | Years as DP |
|---|---|---|
| File:Flag of Brazil.svg Geovanni | 2010 | |
| 2013–2019 | ||
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Matías Pérez García | File:Flag of Argentina.svg Tigre | 2014–2016 |
| 2015–2016 | ||
| 2016–2017 | ||
| File:Flag of the Netherlands.svg Vitesse | 2017– | |
| 2018 | ||
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Cristian Espinoza | 2020– |
Seattle Sounders FC
| Player | Previous club | Years as DP |
|---|---|---|
| 2009–2010 | ||
| File:Flag of Uruguay.svg Álvaro Fernández | File:Flag of Uruguay.svg Nacional | 2010–2012 |
| File:Flag of the Netherlands.svg Twente | 2010 | |
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Mauro Rosales | File:Flag of Argentina.svg River Plate | 2011–2013 |
| 2012–2013 | ||
| 2013 | ||
| 2013–2015 | ||
| 2013–2018 | ||
| 2014–2018 | ||
| File:Flag of Paraguay.svg Nelson Valdez | 2015–2016 | |
| File:Flag of Uruguay.svg Nicolás Lodeiro | File:Flag of Argentina.svg Boca Juniors | 2016– |
| 2018– | ||
| 2019 | ||
| File:Flag of Ecuador.svg Xavier Arreaga | File:Flag of Ecuador.svg Barcelona SC | 2019 |
| File:Flag of Brazil.svg João Paulo | File:Flag of Brazil.svg Botafogo | 2020– |
Sporting Kansas City
| Player | Previous club | Years as DP |
|---|---|---|
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Claudio López | File:Flag of Argentina.svg Racing Club | 2008 |
| 2011 | ||
| File:Flag of Brazil.svg Jéferson | File:Flag of Brazil.svg Vasco da Gama | 2011 |
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Claudio Bieler | File:Flag of Ecuador.svg Liga de Quito | 2013–2014 |
| 2014–2016 | ||
| 2014–2017 | ||
| 2015–2018 | ||
| File:Flag of Chile.svg Diego Rubio | 2016 | |
| 2017 | ||
| File:Flag of Belgium (civil).svg KV Mechelen | 2018–2019 | |
| File:Flag of Chile.svg Felipe Gutiérrez | 2018– | |
| 2019– | ||
| 2020– |
Toronto FC
| Player | Previous club | Years as DP |
|---|---|---|
| 2009–2012 | ||
| 2010 | ||
| File:Flag of the Netherlands.svg Danny Koevermans | File:Flag of the Netherlands.svg PSV Eindhoven | 2011–2013 |
| 2011–2012 | ||
| 2012 | ||
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Matías Laba | File:Flag of Argentina.svg Argentinos Juniors | 2013 |
| File:Flag of Brazil.svg Gilberto | File:Flag of Brazil.svg Internacional | 2014 |
| 2014–2019 | ||
| 2014–2015 | ||
| 2015–2018 | ||
| 2015– | ||
| File:Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Genk | 2019– | |
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Pablo Piatti | 2020– |
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
| Player | Previous club | Years as DP |
|---|---|---|
| 2011–2012 | ||
| File:Flag of Belgium (civil).svg R.A.E.C. Mons | 2011 | |
| 2012 | ||
| 2012–2014 | ||
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Matías Laba | 2014–2017 | |
| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Mauro Rosales | 2014 | |
| File:Flag of Chile.svg Pedro Morales | 2014–2016 | |
| File:Flag of Uruguay.svg Octavio Rivero | File:Flag of Chile.svg O'Higgins | 2015–2016 |
| File:Flag of Colombia.svg Fredy Montero | 2017 2019 | |
| 2017–2018 | ||
| 2018 | ||
| 2019–2020 | ||
| File:Flag of Uruguay.svg Joaquín Ardaiz | 2019 | |
| 2019– | ||
| 2020– |
Designated Player Rule Media
David Beckham was the league's first Designated Player, with the rule being nicknamed the "Beckham Rule".
References
- ↑ Wahl, Grant. Hollywood Ending: If this was indeed David Beckham's final game in MLS, he went out in style, carrying the Galaxy to a championship and affirming the value of star power in America. Sports Illustrated (November 28, 2011). Retrieved November 25, 2011.
- ↑ Lansley, Pete (April 13, 2007). "Becks could be the next American idol". The Telegraph. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060413/asp/sports/story_6093255.asp. Retrieved December 1, 2007.
- ↑ PlayersUnionMlsplayers.org. Retrieved April 25, 2012.
- ↑ Beckham hopes to make US history. BBC. January 12, 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/6256125.stm. Retrieved December 1, 2007.
- ↑ Jelle van Damme completes exit from LA Galaxy and joins Royal Antwerp. espnfc.us (August 18, 2017)ESPN. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
Other websites
- Designated Players glossary entry Archived 2020-10-16 at the Wayback Machine at MLSsoccer.com