C. Ronaldo’s contract extension annual salary shocked the soccer world
As we all know, the soccer world is never short of big news.Recently, Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo (C. Ronaldo for short) has been in the spotlight again.He has just signed a new contract with Saudi team Riyadh Victory for two years.What’s even more surprising is that his annual salary is said to be as high as 180 million euros!
Doesn’t that figure sound a bit exaggerated?In fact, not only do we feel high, the entire European soccer world is shocked by this.There aren’t many clubs in Europe that can offer such a high salary.
One player’s salary, more than six top clubs?
You may not believe it, but it’s true.According to the latest statistics, clubs like Liverpool, Inter Milan, and Madrid Athletic are not earning as much as Cristiano Ronaldo alone.
Let’s take a look at these clubs specifically:
Liverpool: close but the gap is still obvious
Premier League champions Liverpool’s wage bill last season was about £128 million, which translates to about €152 million.Although this is already the standard configuration of a top team, it is still a full 28 million euros less than C. Ronaldo’s 180 million euros annual salary.
Although they have introduced some new players this summer, the salary expenditure may rise slightly, but want to catch up with C. Ronaldo’s income level, the difficulty is very big.
Inter Milan: Playing on a lean budget
Inter Milan have done well over the years, reaching the Champions League final twice in the last three years.But their wage bill for the whole season is only about 144 million euros, which is less than one-third of Real Madrid.
Although they have made moves in the transfer market, such as bringing in a few new recruits, the combined salaries of these players are nowhere near what C. Ronaldo earns alone.
Newcastle United: gold masters behind them, but spend money cautiously
Newcastle has improved a lot in recent years with the support of the Saudi royal family.However, due to the financial rules of the Premier League, they are still relatively restrained in terms of spending.
Their wage bill last season was roughly £103 million (about €122 million), ranking 8th in the Premier League.Even if they return to the Champions League next season, they will need to nearly halve their overall wages if they want to catch up with C. Ronaldo’s annual salary.
Atletico Madrid: star-studded but not earning as much as C. Ronaldo
Atletico Madrid has been a regular in the top three of La Liga, with big names like Alvarez and Griezmann on the team.But their annual wage bill is only about 137 million euros.
Think about it, when C. Ronaldo was still at Real Madrid, he often caused problems for Atletico Madrid in the national derby.Now his annual salary is actually more than the entire Atletico’s total wages, which is another kind of “victory” it.
Tottenham Hotspur: average results, but financially healthy
Tottenham Hotspur’s performance last season was mediocre, finishing in 17th place in the Premier League.However, they won the UEFA Cup and qualified for next season’s Champions League.
Their wage bill is £104 million (about €123 million), which is not as good as some of the giants, but the financial structure is more reasonable and there is not much financial pressure.
Napoli: Serie A champions also out of reach
Last season’s Serie A champions, Napoli, had a payroll of only 87 million euros.This figure is even less than half of C. Ronaldo’s annual salary.
They have just signed Belgian star Kevin De Bruyne, and although it’s a free transfer, the veteran midfielder’s salary isn’t cheap either.Manager Antonio Conte also hopes the team will invest more in the new season, but there is still a long way to go to reach C. Ronaldo’s level.
Why does C. Ronaldo get so much money?
Many people will ask why a player who is almost 40 years old can still get such a high salary.There are actually a few reasons:
First of all, C. Ronaldo is still one of the most influential players in the world.He has a staggering number of social media followers and a high commercial value.Wherever he goes, he brings a huge brand effect.
Secondly, the Saudi League has also been trying to improve its international influence in recent years.Signing and retaining C. Ronaldo is a strategic investment for them, which not only attracts fans’ attention, but also attracts more outstanding players to join.
Furthermore, C. Ronaldo himself has always had a clear attitude towards money.Not only does he want to continue playing soccer, but he also wants to pave the way for his future career through professional income.After all, he is not a young player anymore and every income is important to him.
Impact on European clubs
C. Ronaldo’s astronomical contract has also caused many European clubs to rethink their salary structure.Previously, a big team was willing to pay a high salary for a superstar, but now it seems that this model may no longer be sustainable.
Some clubs in the Premier League and La Liga, in particular, have to abide by strict financial rules and cannot just burn money.In contrast, Saudi teams have more relaxed funding sources and can make bolder decisions on salaries.
In the future, perhaps we’ll see more top players choosing to play in the Middle East rather than staying in Europe.After all, there is not only money there, but also better living conditions.
To summarize
This renewal of C. Ronaldo’s contract is not just an ordinary contract renewal, it is more like a symbol of the times.It is unimaginable in the past that a player’s personal income can exceed the total salary of several top clubs.
Whether you’re for it or against it, C. Ronaldo’s presence has undoubtedly refreshed people’s perceptions of what soccer players earn once again.And his choice has brought a new windfall for the entire soccer world.
Perhaps we will see more similar news in the coming years.After all, in this era of globalization and commercialization, soccer has long been more than just a game, but also a competition about money and influence.