Javier Hernández signs with USL’s Atlético Dallas as MLS salaries outpace Liga MX

The MLS Players Association’s 2026 salary guide shows the U.S. league can pay far higher contracts to marquee players than Mexico’s Liga MX. Lionel Messi tops the list with a guaranteed $28.3 million annual salary, followed by Son Heung‑min at $11.15 million and Rodrigo De Paul at $9.6 million. The league’s Designated Player rule lets clubs exceed the standard salary cap of $803,125 per player, enabling such elite deals while keeping overall budgets in check.

In parallel, Mexican striker Javier Hernández has joined Atlético Dallas in the United Soccer League (USL), the second tier of U.S. soccer. His move puts a high‑profile Mexican name into a league that typically receives less attention than the MLS. Hernández follows a handful of other Mexican players—such as Jürgen Damm, Rafael Baca, and former MLS veteran Gonzalo Pineda—who have spent spells in the USL, highlighting the growing cross‑border pathway for Mexican talent within North America’s football system.