How Much Money does a Soccer Player Make?
How much money does a professional soccer player make? This is a question that’s often on the mind of many players. With the World Cup coming up, you may be curious about how much these athletes are paid to play the beautiful game. In this article, we will take a look at the salaries of professional and semi-professional soccer players. We will also explore how the salaries vary from league to league. Finally, we will take a look at some of the benefits that players receive, such as food and housing allowances.
As mentioned, player salaries vary greatly depending on the country and league they play in. So we will cover each of the major leagues in Europe and America and go over some of the highest and lowest paid players.
Premier League
The English Premier League is one of the most popular leagues in the world, and it’s also one of the most lucrative. Players in the Premier League can earn a lot of money, both from their salaries and from sponsorships and endorsements. The average salary for a Premier League player is over $3.9 million per year. This makes players in the Premier League some of the highest-paid athletes in the world.
This average salary equates to roughly $75,000 per week, though this can vary depending on the club and the player’s position. For example, top strikers can earn as much as $200,000 per week, while more modestly paid players might only take home $20,000 per week. Players may also receive bonuses for things like appearances, wins, and goals scored. Of course, not every player in the Premier League is a world-famous superstar. Many players are relatively unknown and are paid a lot less than the marquee names. However, even these players can still earn a comfortable living thanks to the high wages on offer in the Premier League.
La Liga
In the Spanish La Liga, players get paid a lot of money. In fact, the average salary is around $2.9 million per year. Of course, there are some superstars who earn much more than that. For example, Lionel Messi earned an annual salary of $33 million during his time at Barcelona. However, even the lowest-paid player in the La Liga takes home a salary of $52,000 per year, which is still pretty good money. Given all of this, it’s no wonder that so many people dream of playing professional soccer in Spain.
Serie A
Italy’s domestic league ranks third for for the highest paid players in the world. Footballers in the Serie A can expect to take home an average of $2 million per year. This equates to roughly $40,000 per week. If players are talented enough be on top teams like Inter Milan and Juventus, their pockets are rewarded even more.
Dusan Vlahovic of Juventus is one of the highest paid players in the league, with a salary of €249,231 per week. His teammates Leonardo Bonucci, Wojciech Szczesny, Paul Pogba, and Frederico Chiesa also feature in the top 10 highest paid players in Serie A.
Bundesliga
The German Bundesliga comes in at fourth on this list, with players making an average salary of $1.84 million per year. During his time with Bayern Munich the highest-paid player in the Bundesliga was Robert Lewandowski, who earned an annual salary of $15 million. The lowest-paid player in the league is Florian Neuhaus of Borussia Monchengladbach, who earns just $50,000 per year. In general, salaries in the Bundesliga tend to be lower than in other top European leagues, but they are still relatively high when compared to salaries in other professional sports leagues around the world.
Major League Soccer
The MLS is the top soccer league in the United States and Canada. Salaries are considerably lower in the MLS compared to Europe’s top leagues. The average salary for an MLS player is $330,000 per year. This number can vary greatly depending on a player’s experience, position, and performance. For example, star players like Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Sebastian Giovinco have earned upwards of $7 million per year, while rookies or bench players make $50,000-$100,000 per year. In addition to their base salary, many MLS players also earn bonuses for winning games or reaching certain milestones. For example, a team may give each player a bonus of $1,000 for every win. As a result, MLS players can earn quite a bit of money if they are part of a successful team.
Semi-Professional Leagues
If you’re a semi-pro player, you’re not going to be raking in the big bucks. In fact, most semi-professional soccer players earn less than $1,000 per month. That said, there are a few ways that semi-pros can make a bit of extra cash. For example, many clubs offer bonus payments for wins and appearances. In addition, some players may also receive a small stipend for teaching classes or working with the club’s youth teams. At the end of the day, semi-pro soccer is more about passion than it is about money. Players who are willing to sacrifice their time and energy can find a great deal of satisfaction in representing their club and community.
Matt Sheldon of the United Soccer League (USL) put together a great video explaining how much money the majority of semi-pro players make. Players in the USL only average about $44,000 per year. This is below the nation-wide average salary of $54,000 per year.
However, semi-professional players do get several benefits outside of their normal pay. In addition to their salaries, these players may receive perks depending on the club they play for. These can include food and housing allowances, as well as travel expenses. Some clubs also provide their players with health insurance.
Reality of Being a Soccer Player
There are hundreds of thousands of players who dream of getting payed to play soccer. This makes it one of the most competitive professions in the world. The reality is that only players in the world’s biggest leagues get payed lavish wages. For the majority of players, they’re lucky to be payed just enough to live on. That doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying to become a pro. Being payed to payed to play the beautiful games is still a dream for young players all over the world.
- Most Comfortable Football Boots of 2024
- Nike Phantom GX 2 vs Adidas Predator Elite
- Puma Future 7 Pro – Review
- Mizuno Morelia 2 Elite Review
- Nike Phantom GX 2 Elite Review
- Width Matters: Choosing the Right Football Boots for Your Feet
- Nike Premier 3 vs Copa Gloro vs NB 442 V2 Pro
- The Best Value Adidas Boot – Copa Gloro Review
- Best Predator Ever? – Predator Elite Review