To loads of people out there, soccer is a hobby, it is a passion. They play it because they love it. To many others, it is a business opportunity. The truth is soccer has changed over the past few decades. These days, it is a multi-billion industry that can make people rich overnight.
This is maybe one of the reasons wherefore players do not have the same consistency they had 20 or 30 years ago. Back then, you could see top players smashing it until they were in their late 30s – consistency at the highest possible level.
These days, many new players make it big overnight. They are covered in millions over a few years and then they simply turn useless. At this point, you probably ask yourself – how much do soccer players make? How about Europe or financial soccer paradises like China?
How Much Do Soccer Players Make In MLS?
The MLS has a salary cap – the budget allowed towards the roster. In 2019, for example, the salary cap was $4.24M for a team of up to 20 players. There is a bit of forgiveness there – a team can have minimum of 18 players and should not exceed 20. Wages do not have to be distributed evenly.
At this stage, in 2019, if players were paid evenly, they would make about $212,000 per year – around $4,000 per week. However, soccer is a highly competitive sport and some players are paid more than others. For instance, a world-class talent will be paid more than a newbie who has just come up from the youth team.
In 2019, the maximum salary for a player was set at $530,000. It does not sound like a lot, yet some soccer players make millions. This is when designated players and targeted allocation money kick in, only to boost the wages. Of course, this cap is slowly increased on a regular basis.
The designated player aspect is an exception. MLS can sign players that go above this protocol. Teams are allowed to go into the international transfer market and attract stars with high wages. For instance, Zlatan Ibrahimovic was given $7.2 million when he joined LA Galaxy.
This rule came out in 2007. It is sometimes known as the Beckham rule because it was specifically introduced to allow David Beckham to be signed. Other stars who went in this category overtime include Denilson, Thierry Henry, David Villa, Didier Drogba, Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney and Bastian Schweinsteiger, among many others.
On the other hand, the targeted allocation money is an amount given by MLS to various clubs in order to retain top stars. Such money can be used to turn a designated player into a regular one by buying the salary down, for instance. In 2019, it was set at $1.2M, but some clubs could benefit from a discretionary $2.8M extra.
What Money Are Soccer Players Earning In China?
The truth is big stars are less likely to join the MLS in their prime because the soccer league is considered at a lower level than the ones in Europe. Apart from the USA, China is another financial paradise for players who are close to retirement – so, what money are soccer players earning in China then?
In China, soccer players make hundreds of times more than the average worker. In fact, a top soccer player would need a couple of days to make what most people make in a year. China is among the top countries in terms of salaries. In 2018, Guangzhou Evergrande paid on average $2.1M in wages for one player.
However, the financial market in China is not very transparent, but quite opaque. While players are less likely to get less than what their contracts say, some of the world-class talents are very likely to get way more in bonuses and unofficial money.
Based on the ticket sales, TV income and commercial deals, many Chinese clubs would be unable to pay their biggest spenders. With all these, they manage to do it due to the lack of transparency, so the country is often rated as a good choice for world-class players reaching their 30s.
Over the past few years, China has slowed down on attracting multi-million contracts. Top talent is still getting there, but for less money. With all these, over the past few years, Graziano Pelle – Shandong Luneng – and Oscar – Shanghai SIPG – were among the highest-paid players in the world, with way over $20M a year.
At the end of 2020, the Chinese Super League has announced plans to introduce a salary cap, only to aid the national team. Basically, foreign players should not get more than $3.5M a year, while domestic players can get up to $800,000 a year.
Teams not following the new rules can be penalized with up to 24 points in the league, which is a serious problem. On the same note, players exceeding these caps may also be banned from the CFA organized games.
The issue became obvious due to the so-called investment bubble in the national team. Basically, China spends about ten times more money than South Korea. It also spends three times more than Japan. With all these, the Chinese national team is ranked about two times lower than South Korea and Japan.
How Much Do Soccer Players Make In Europe?
Now, how much do soccer players make in Europe? This is where the greatest soccer in the world is played and wages are set accordingly.
Premier League is one of the top leagues out there and spins millions on a yearly basis. Top players can easily earn £50,000 a week – about $70,000 a week. It is an amazing salary compared to the rest of Europe. On average, players in Premier League make around $300 per hour.
World class players in Premier League make more than that. Paul Pogba can bag up to £300,000 a week, while David De Gea can easily get £200,000 a week. Alexis Sanchez aims to dominate with £350,000 a week.
While Spain is another major league, it is not as intense and rich as the Premier League. Gareth Bale can still get €400,000 a week – around $475,000, while Sergio Ramos can bag up to €200,000 a week. Lionel Messi dominated the league over the past years, with up to €655,000 a week.
Average players are less likely to make that much though. Middle class players in La Liga will bag less than €80,000 a week, which is still much more than they could get in the MLS.
Serie A is another top league in Europe. The main Italian league helped Cristiano Ronaldo bag about €565,000 a week while playing for Juventus FC. But then, during the same time, other players from Juventus FC gained €50,000 a week.
Obviously, the skill, team and contract make a huge difference. There are players in Serie A who make less than €15,000 a week, which is still a good salary.
Highest-Paid Soccer Players Exposed
When it comes to such high numbers, it is obvious that soccer today is not all about the passion and the love for a club. Instead, it has also become a profitable business. A few years at a high level can set you for the rest of your life. All in all, here are some of the highest-paid soccer players out there.
In 2021, Lionel Messi smashed the soccer wages when he moved to PSG as a free player, bagging over €1.1M a week. Cristiano Ronaldo was relatively close to the mark, with just over €1M a week. Neymar gets over €700,000 a week from PSG, while Luis Suarez got over €650,000 a week from Atletico Madrid.
Antoine Griermann was paid the same by Barcelona – about €650,000 a week, slightly more than Gareth Bale at Real Madrid – just under €600,000 a week. Despite being rated a world-class talent, Kylian Mbappe only got €500,000 a week from PSG, while Kevin De Bruyne is only on €450,000 a week at Manchester City.
As you can see, some of the best-paid players in the world play in Europe. For many players, top European leagues represent the ultimate attraction. Playing for such a major club will draw international recognition straight away.
As for their times in the USA and China, these are some of the most popular choices for top players getting close to retirement – usually, in their mid-30s. The UAE used to be an attractive option as well, but not so much over the past decade.
Conclusion
In conclusion, how much do soccer players make in MLS? While wages in the MLS are definitely high, they are way under what players could get in China or Europe. China is a good choice for the last years in soccer, yet salary caps are also being introduced. Meanwhile, Europe remains the most attractive option for world-class talent.
Either way, average players will still make much more than an average worker, regardless of where they play.