The former USMNT midfielder has cautioned the players who are looking for parity with the men, and taken a shot at NWSL in the process
Former U.S. men’s national team midfielder Jermaine Jones has hit out at the U.S. women’s national team, saying their fight for equal pay could “backfire real quick.”
The World Cup champion USWNT are in the midst of a lawsuit against U.S. Soccer alleging gender discrimination, and are set for mediation to attempt to resolve the issue before it goes to court.
But Jones, 37, is not on board with the USWNT’s fight, saying that it’s normal for women to get paid less than men in sport.
“There is a big difference between men’s sport and women’s sport,” Jones told toofab.
“Give me one country where the girls get paid the same as the men. There is just no country.
“The girls, they are calling and screaming a little bit for more respect and (to be) more appreciated for what they are doing, and that’s I think more the case why they are saying all this.”
One of the principle differences between the U.S. men’s and women’s teams is the pay structure, with the women collecting an annual salary from U.S. Soccer along with benefits, while the men are only paid in bonuses for roster and game appearances, among other incentives.
Jones has highlighted that difference, also saying that the women’s professional league in the United States, the National Women’s Soccer League, is not up to standard.
“Some players who play MLS, they play men’s national team, can make less than a woman who gets a salary cap through the national team, not through her club, and that’s a big difference,” he said.
“We’re coming, and we get not paid. We have to play games and win games,” he said. “She gets the whole season paid, and plays in a league where you can say that you suck.”
Though the women are fighting for more money for their entire team, Jones believes that some high-paid USWNT stars might get a raw deal.
“I think they have to be careful too, because you have players (like) Alex Morgan, they are making more than some of the guys, but then they scream out and say ‘we need more money’. It can backfire real quick.”
The U.S. women have won four World Cups, including the last two, while the men have only reached the World Cup semifinal once – at the inaugural edition in 1930.
Jones, however, isn’t getting caught up in the accomplishments of the USWNT in comparison to the USMNT.
“Of course as men we know it’s tougher to win a World Cup than the girls.”
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