Sports/Olympics / Soccer
World Cup pays really big!
(AP)
Updated: 2006-06-20 16:20
One dazzling shot, one great save at the World Cup and a player can
capture the adoration of his nation and the respect of soccer fans
worldwide.
Not to mention cold, hard cash and other goodies.
The World Cup is first a contest for soccer supremacy. But it's also a
chance for relative unknowns to make their fortune -- both now and down
the line.
"Put themselves in the shop window," explains Trinidad and Tobago's Stern
John, a striker with a colorful career who hopes his play will help him
move on up.
England's John Terry makes a clearance in front of team mate Rio
Ferdinand (5) and Trinidad and Tobago's Stern John (14) watch during
their Group B World Cup 2006 soccer match in Nuremberg June 15, 2006.
[Reuters]
And then shop for a new car, or house. In some cases, even get to skip
military service.
The incentive is not just new contracts with better teams. National
federations also offer bonuses that add up fast, especially for players
from poorer countries.
Angola players received a reported $50,000 apiece for reaching the World
Cup. Saudi Arabia has promised to shell out $27,000 to each player when
its team wins -- a promise that's cost it nothing so far. If Spain wins
the final, its players get about $683,000 each. The Americans could bank
nearly $200,000 each if they make it to the second round.
Sometimes, as in the case of tiny Togo, the bonus can cause more trouble
than it's worth. For most players, however, money is secondary.
"First you have to play and win for your country," said Ivory Coast
midfielder Gilles Yapi-Yapo, who plays professionally in France. "The
other things are details, but of course you always think, too, about
whether you might go to another club or improve your contract."
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