# National Football (Soccer) Teams: Compensation **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 11, 2005, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-football-soccer-teams-compensation/284203 "2005-01-11T13:40:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-football-soccer-teams-compensation/284203/1 "2005-01-11T13:40:29Z")
Is there a resource that can tell me how all (or most/many) of the National sides are compensated? I’m curious because the USSF and the US MNT are in a lock out situation right now which is a serious threat to the USA qualifying for the 2006 World Cup. > [@](#): > > Originally from the AP Wire. [Full article avialable at CNNSI.com](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/soccer/01/10/bc.soc.uslabordispute.ap/index.html) > > NEW YORK (AP) – Players rejected the U.S. Soccer Federation’s offer to send their labor dispute to arbitration and instead proposed on Monday that mediation be used in an effort to get the regulars on the field for next month’s World Cup qualifier at Trinidad and Tobago. > > Players objected to the USSF’s strict rules for the arbitration, which allowed for only a contract running through 2006 and placed limits on what could be in each side’s proposal. Players, who want a deal running through 2010, say that after mediation, unresolved issues should be submitted to arbitration. > > “The USSFs win-lose proposal would not help anyone, no matter what the arbitrator ruled,” union head Mark Levinstein said in a statement. “The arbitration proposal was completely unacceptable.” > > Under the old contract, 25 players earned $200,543 each at the 2002 World Cup. For World Cup qualifiers, players receive a minimum of $2,000 per game and up to $6,000. Players make $2,000 to $5,150 for exhibitions, depending on the opponent and the result. > > The union, whose deal expired in December 2002, says management is locking the players out, while the USSF says players are on strike. The federation plans to use inexperienced players at Trinidad unless there is an agreement by Feb. 1. One reason I ask is because in a Yahoo Groups discussion the statement was made, “The US MNT is easily the most highly compensated team in the world.” (paraphrased) I think that assertion is at least somewhat suspect. Can anyone help me uncover the truth? If anyone’s interested here’s another article on the situation, which both sides presenting their case. [http://msn.foxsports.com/story/3270754](http://msn.foxsports.com/story/3270754) ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-football-soccer-teams-compensation/284203/2 "2005-01-11T18:12:40Z")
[The England team is not compensated](http://www.thefa.com/TheFA/NewsFromTheFA/Postings/2003/11/PaymentInternationalPlayers.htm): > [@](#): > > FIFA Article 37, paragraph 1 states: > > “Any club which releases a player pursuant to Art 36 (i.e. Release of Players for National Association Representative Matches) shall not be entitled to financial compensation except that compensation agreed upon in the case of an extended period of release (Art 36 para 5)”. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-football-soccer-teams-compensation/284203/3 "2005-01-11T18:13:56Z")
Oops - my mistake. That was _club_ compensation. Apologies. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-football-soccer-teams-compensation/284203/4 "2005-01-11T18:27:28Z")
> [@](#): > > Players are paid - although the FA doesn’t like anyone knowing about it. “There is a match fee, but it’s not usually disclosed to the media,” admitted the unusually sheepish FA librarian David Barber. > > However, under sustained LA Confidential-like questioning - OK, we exaggerate - he eventually told us: “It’s a substantial four-figure sum, and they get all their expenses as well.” > > And just in case you’re wondering, this isn’t a recent trend - there’s been a financial reward for playing for England since the late 19th century. (from _The Guardian_) ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-football-soccer-teams-compensation/284203/5 "2005-01-11T19:18:46Z")
> [@Crusoe](#): > > (from _The Guardian_) So maybe around £5000 per match plus expenses might be a good guess? Any idea if this escalates for performance in Euro and World Cup competitions? How about for “friendlies”? ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-football-soccer-teams-compensation/284203/6 "2005-01-11T21:46:27Z")
Okay, here’s Northern Ireland’s: > [@](#): > > Northern Ireland’s players are on the verge of a pay rise despite their dismal form in the World Cup qualifying campaign which continues here on Wednesday against Austria. > > A match fee of 300 pounds (435 euros) a man with a 200 pounds (290 euros) win bonus and 100 pounds (145 euros) for a draw is currently the going rate. > > “The Ireland Football Association (IFA) have limits on what they can pay,” said team manager Lawrie Sanchez. ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-football-soccer-teams-compensation/284203/7 "2005-01-11T23:26:30Z")
It’s interesting that it come to such an impasse in the U.S. In most European countries neither Football Association or players would dare let a conflict over money become an such an issue in playing for your national team, because they know they would get crucified by the fans and media. Playing for your country is supposed to be a priviledge. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-football-soccer-teams-compensation/284203/8 "2005-01-11T23:34:22Z")
I would think that most players on European national teams make a good deal of money playing for club teams as well. I don’t think that is the case in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-football-soccer-teams-compensation/284203/9 "2005-01-11T23:54:10Z")
> [@Futile Gesture](#): > > It’s interesting that it come to such an impasse in the U.S. In most European countries neither Football Association or players would dare let a conflict over money become an such an issue in playing for your national team, because they know they would get crucified by the fans and media. Playing for your country is supposed to be a priviledge. I think you’d be surprised at how few people realize that there is this lockout situation. I didn’t know about it until now. If the basketball team pulled it, though, that would probably be the straw that broke the camel’s back when it comes to these guys. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-football-soccer-teams-compensation/284203/10 "2005-01-12T03:30:23Z")
> [@gazpacho](#): > > I would think that most players on European national teams make a good deal of money playing for club teams as well. I don’t think that is the case in the US. A good deal of the US team\* plays for clubs in England/Europe, now or in the past: Carlos Bocanegra - Fulham Bobby Convey - Reading (Reserves) Brad Friedel - Blackburn Tim Howard, Jonathan Spector - Manchester Utd Kasey Keller - Tottenham Eddie Lewis - Preston North End Brian McBride - Fulham Claudio Reyna - Manchester City Gregg Berhalter - Energie Cottbus (2nd Bundesliga) Conor Casey - FSV Mainz (Bundesliga) Landon Donovan - Bayer Leverkusen Steve Cherundolo & Clint Mathis - Hannover 96 DaMarcus Beasley - PSV Eindhoven John O’Brien - Ajax Amsterdam Greg Vanney - SC Bastia (France) Oguchi Onyewu - Royal Standard (Belgium) What’s tough for them is for all of their qualifying games it’s at least one international flight away. So it’s a bit tougher to get out and back and then they generally miss at least one paycheck. If the game is away then it’s two or more international flights and really draining physically. The USSF also really should consider that, at least in the long run, their competition is also MLB, NBA, NFL, etc. In that some of the best atheletes, when they are young, might consider any of these options (dependent, somewhat, on physical stature). One would automatically suspect that the USSF would work in the best interest for the future of world football in America, but sometimes they seem a bit myopic on that count. And they’re non-profit so if they’re generating extra revenue I’d be interested to know where it’s going. \*Of course a lot of players on the US team play in the MLS, usually at the beginning or end of their careers. Eddie Johnson and Brian Ching would be two prime examples of very promising young players who currently star in MLS. I expect both to switch to European clubs in the next 2-3 years. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-football-soccer-teams-compensation/284203/11 "2005-01-12T11:59:21Z")
FWIW, the Player’s Association has rejected USSF’s offer of binding arbitration, and are seeking mediation instead. I just hope that they can get back on the field soon. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-football-soccer-teams-compensation/284203/12 "2005-01-12T12:20:28Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > The USSF also really should consider that, at least in the long run, their competition is also MLB, NBA, NFL, etc. In that some of the best atheletes, when they are young, might consider any of these options (dependent, somewhat, on physical stature) I don’t buy that, at all. The skills and the physical demands of these games are very very different. After all, there’s no suggestion that European rugby loses talent to football due to the huge difference in potential renumeration. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-football-soccer-teams-compensation/284203/13 "2005-01-12T12:35:29Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > I don’t buy that, at all. The skills and the physical demands of these games are very very different. After all, there’s no suggestion that European rugby loses talent to football due to the huge difference in potential renumeration. It’s not that common, but we do see it here. Michael Vick, a much hyped NFL quarterback, has the skills to have been a top rate football player (in both American and World football). He’s faster than _anyone_, can turn on a dime, and if anything is a bit slight for American football. There have been a handful of American football players that also played baseball, usually when they have a lot of speed and agility. There have also been a handful of atheletes who could play both basketball and football at a high level, and one American athelete, Dave Winfield, who was drafted in baseball, football and basketball. He ended up playing baseball mainly because of the high salaries and the longevity of career. But more importantly, these talented natural atheletes often have to decide at a younger age which sport they’ll specialize in. Perhaps not in England, but here it’s certainly part of the thought process of which sport might maximize future earnings potential. Even when it’s just a longshot.