The Average Salary of a Professional Soccer Player

Soccer, known in most countries as football, is the most popular sport in the world. Soccer player’s salaries depend on individual strengths and talent, division or country they play for, and overall experience and performance.

American Players

In the United States' Major League Soccer (MLS), top professional soccer players average yearly salaries between $80,000 to $90,000. Professional soccer players do not make nearly as much as other professional athletes in the United States. However, talented soccer players have been paid high salaries as Edson Arantes Do Nascimento (aka Pelé) knows; he was paid $7 million to play for the New York Cosmos in the 1970s.

European Players

Salaries in Europe for the top leagues are higher than in the U.S. because the sport is more popular there. The average salary in the Premiership (England's top league) is around $2,500,000. The top 50 European players season earned more than $7 million each in the 2008/2009.

Endorsements

Many popular players are signed on to sponsorships and endorsements, adding to their annual salaries. The highest paid soccer player in the world at one time was David Beckham, whose salary after guaranteed bonuses averaged $50 million per year. According to reports, Beckham’s five-year contract was worth $250 million in salary and commercial endorsements alone. Today, 25-year-old Portuguese player Cristiano Ronaldo is at the top of the pay scale, earning a reported $17.06 million per year in Spain.

References

• MLS Players
• The Off Side
• CNN