Football(also known as association football) is arguably the most popular sport in the world. Hundreds of millions of people watch matches either at the stadiums, on their TVs, or through streaming sites week in week out. Media organizations, especially TV companies, pay billions of dollars yearly to acquire the rights to show football matches. It can be said that the sale of TV rights is the single biggest revenue source for football clubs.

Apart from TV rights, kit sponsorships, sale of merchandise, and sale of stadium naming rights are some of the other ways football clubs make money. This (large amount of)money that football clubs earn makes it possible for them to pay their players way above the average earner. The average footballer in the top 5 European leagues earns around $2.4 million yearly, which is 108 times the average yearly wage of countries in the EU. While players in the top 5 leagues earn considerably higher than those in the less prestigious leagues, most footballers still earn more than the average wage.

This state of affairs has led to some calling for footballers to be paid less. From my research, I believe that the wages of these top-flight footballers are well deserved and should not be lessened. Here are my reasons:

Firstly, over the last two decades, football has become much more lucrative. Clubs earn more money than they have ever earned in the past. According to Statista, in the 2001/2002 season, total TV revenues for the top 5 leagues amounted to $5.824 billion, twenty years later in the 2021/2022 season, TV revenues are a projected $18.389 billion. That is more than five times the 2001/2002 amount. It is then only natural that the players, whose abilities make it possible for the clubs to make so much, benefit from this increased influx of money into football. I am sure no one would be comfortable with a situation where the footballers are paid peanuts and the clubs keep all the money.

Another reason footballers deserve their pay is the level of commitment, effort, and discipline it takes to become a successful footballer. Footballers go through grueling physical conditioning that alters their bodies for life(you may have noticed the grotesquely enlarged calf of current and ex-footballers). They also maintain a strict diet devoid of fatty food and alcohol. Aspiring footballers who cannot keep up with the physical and dietary requirements end up washing out. Also, most people would find these requirements difficult to keep up with.

Thirdly, the risk and dangers associated with playing football are also to be considered. Footballers face the risk of concussions and serious head injuries, cuts, dislocation, fractures, sprains, and even heart conditions. Most people don't face these sorts of risks while at work. Some of these injuries result in permanent disability or even death.

There are numerous examples of players who have passed away while playing, during training, or shortly after the match, usually due to cardiac arrests or related issues. The likes of Piermario Morosini, Marc-Vivien Foe, and Samuel Okwaraji come to mind. Also, the likes of Fabrice Muamba and Christian Eriksen, who suffered cardiac arrests while playing in March 2012 and June 2021 respectively have to live with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator(ICD) for the rest of their lives.

Furthermore, there is the issue of demand and supply. To be fair, footballers in lower-tier leagues are not paid that much. For example, players in the lowest echelon of English football are paid as little as £12,000 yearly. Top players are paid that much because of the high demand for their services and their limited number.

Finally, some of those in support of lower wages for footballers argue that there is no sense in paying footballers that much when important workers like nurses or soldiers don't earn a lot. However, this argument is flawed. What they fail to realize is that most football clubs are privately owned and no ounce of government money goes into paying the players. And every private entity is entitled to pay their employees what they wish.

In conclusion, I believe footballers deserve every cent of their pay. I also hope that I have been able to convince you of the points outlined above. I hope I have been able to show you that the clamor to reduce player wages is just populist nonsense that doesn't take into account the realities of the situation.

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