Manchester United is far behind with 112

No one is surprised that the salaries of football players reach astronomical heights. "The announced figures were common by one-upmanship," write Jean-Marie Brohm and Marc Perelman in their book "Football, an emotional plague", recalling twenty players the best paid in the world have earned the equivalent of EUR 64 million in 1997. A study that has just completed the BBDO Agency of Germany believes that the economic value of the twenty largest stars of world football now stands at EUR 562,2 million.

Brazilian Ronaldinho is thus a "mark" estimated at 47 million before the English David Beckham (44.9 million). Twenty-six years, the economic potential of the star of the Brazil, already under contract with Nike, Pepsi and Sony, is "more important" that the pertussis English (agreement with Adidas, Gillette, Pepsi, Sony PlayStation, Vodafone) thirty years old. "Beckham is second place in the standings to its status of"metrosexuel"and its lucrative personal contracts", explained BBDO. The "Top" has two French with Thierry Henry to 9th place and value to 28.7 million euros and Zinedine Zidane in 13th place with 27.1 million.

In this industry "of labour" is the sports show, writes Frédéric Bolotny study majors (Les Echos group) on "The sports sponsorship", "the stars have become one of the main sources of value creation and therefore support sponsorship of the first order". Although their image is also a specific operation, major champions are increasingly used as "gondola head" or "ambassadors" of the global presence of a brand, thus providing beneficial wage supplements. This strategy is particularly used by Orange with Zinedine Zidane or by Coca-Cola with Thierry Henry. The young English player in twenty years, Wayne Rooney, has signed with the Publisher HarperCollins 7.3 million contract to write her autobiography in five volumes until 2018, indicates the "Capital" magazine in its June issue.

Wages of princes

"If some good souls left still indignant as salaries, stock options, presence and premiums business leaders starting tokens or shareholders, related to stock market redundancies, profits are a scandal look (...), on the other hand no is abnormal that mercenaries and hunters of premiums be paid as princes", see Jean-Marie Brohm and Marc Perelman. "It is the law of the market, believe the experts INEUMconsulting.". The problem is that some clubs weigh more than others, such as the English Chelsea.

Since that billionaire Russian Roman Abramovich bought the London club, in 2003, he has spent nearly 300 million in purchase of football stars. New stars are expected this season as the German Michael Ballack (190,000 euros per week) and the Ukrainian Andrei Shevchenko (not unveiled salary).

"England set records at the salary level, and they are just a few to win more than 10 million euros per year," admits Frederic Schatzlé, Director of sport/Council to the financial France Union which manages the career of young French footballers of twenty years from sign in clubs to revel to 1 million, or 1.5 million euros per year. But the study published early June by the company audit and consultancy Deloitte shows that the remuneration of the English championship players are declining. "On the last decade, we have seen the salaries of the Premiership increase by an average of 20 each year, says Dan Jones, Member of the Sport and Business at Deloitte." Reduction of 3 for the 2004-2005 season represents a strong contrast.

Chelsea remained on 2004-2005, the club providing the most important remuneration: 157,9 million against 167.7 million the previous season. Manchester United is far behind, with 112.5 million, against 112.3 million in 2003-2004, as Arsenal (96.4 million against 102.1 million). This wisdom should not last, according to Frédéric Schatzlé, "by reason of the increase in television rights". BSkyB and Setanta bouquets will pay 2.5 billion between 2007 and 2010 clubs. Arsenal has, it seems, anticipated signing a new contract with the French Thierry Henry over four years and 162.000 euro per week.

In French football, including the remuneration of twenty clubs of League position was overall 338 million over the 2004-2005 season (63 on average of clubs turnover), the trend is towards the "reasonable", believe the experts from INEUMconsulting. But the contract Canal (600 million annually over the period 2005-2008) has already dreaming clubs. "I note an increase of 10 to 20 of wages," said Frédéric Schatzlé. Of course, the average of the League 1 40,000 euros gross per month is "reasonable" for football. Provided that the stars who draw the market upward are less "greedy". What is not yet the case today.