The effect of the coronavirus pandemic is disturbing as it may lead to the crumbling of the world economy like The Great Depression that lasted from the 1920s through to the 1930s. As the number of cases and deaths increase daily, organizations in several sectors are taking steps to ensure they don’t go bankrupt. One of these sectors is the footballing world where the management of many clubs has encouraged some of their staff and players to take pay cuts so that they can remain in business. Check out the major player pay cuts in football due to coronavirus below.
Player Pay Cuts In Football Due To Coronavirus
Lionel Messi
FC Barcelona happens to be one of the first clubs in Europe Top-Five Leagues to collectively take a stand concerning pay cuts. The Blue and Red stripes outfit allowed their el-magnifico Argentine captain, Lionel Andres Messi, to take the lead. He announced via his Instagram account that he and other FC Barcelona players have collectively agreed to forgo 70% of their wages; they accepted this in order to take some burden of the club management which still has to spend to pay the rest of its workers without its major source of income – earnings from ticket sales.
This came as a surprise for many as FC Barcelona is the second most valuable soccer team in the world behind their arch-rivals, Real Madrid. Nonetheless, it is important to know that the club has some of the biggest earners in football under its payroll, including Messi who is the highest-earning soccer player and athlete in the world, raking an estimated $127 million annually from salary earnings and endorsement deals.
Atletico Madrid Players
At the heart of the Spanish capital, in the Wanda Metropolitano, the ever corrosive and dogged players of Atletico De Madrid became the second La Liga team to collectively agree to take a 70% pay cut in their wages. Several reports from Spanish media disclosed that the current world’s highest-paid football manager, Diego Simeone, is also taking a pay cut.
See Also: How Much Pay Cut Did These Football Managers Take Due To Coronavirus?
Cristiano Ronaldo
Although it was reported to be a collective agreement amongst the Portuguese skipper and his teammates in the Turin club to take pay cuts that will save the Italian outfit an estimated €90 million for the next four months while the crisis stalls; it has been disclosed that their star man, five times Balon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo, has given up more than just half of his wages to healthcare services and palliatives to the vulnerable in his home country during this pandemic.
Players of the old ladies have been placed as the third-highest earners in football. The Juventus players earn an average of $10.1 million which is a whooping sum when compared to their counterparts in other leagues.
Manchester United F.C.
Although there were reports that the Professional Football Association (PFA) wants to enforce a 30% pay cut in the wages of all players in the English Premier League (EPL), this proposal has been met with stiff opposition but it has been revealed that the Manchester United club management, staff, and players agreed to a 30% reduction in wages for a month.
Tottenham, Norwich City, and Newcastle United
These teams were the first to pull through with the UK government’s Furlough scheme in order to cater for the salaries of non-playing staff. However, their players have been placed under pressure to forgo about 20% of their wages.
Liverpool F.C
The ever-smiling Reds manager, Jurgen Klopp, disclosed that he and his players were been made to take pay cuts to combat the pandemic. But then, criticisms from within and outside may change this decision as most premier league big names such as Jordan Henderson, Wayne Rooney, and others have criticized the league management of trying to take advantage of the situation.
What To Know About The La Liga Festival
Famous La Liga players like Gerrard Pique, Ivan Rakitic, Saul Niguez, Koke, Iker Munian, Sergio Ramos, Lucas Vasquez, Santi Carzola, Jesus Navas, and others were part of the festival. They collaborated with musicians and other artists to raise over €625,000 meant to help combat the pandemic in March 2020.
Meanwhile, These Athletes Have Donated Over A Million For Coronavirus.
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