Provided is a plain bearing including a backing layer, a bearing metal layer, an optional intermediate layer and an overlay. The overlay includes a plurality of sub-layers disposed one on top of the other, which sub-layers include two or more relatively soft sub-layers and one or more relatively hard sub-layer. The soft and hard sub-layers are arranged alternately with respect to one another. Each soft sub-layer includes a metal or metal alloy, and each hard sub-layer includes one or more intermetallic compound.A method of making a coated plain bearing is also provided.