Do US national players get paid less than their club salaries? Are they all paid the same (i.e., does Donovan get paid more than the other players?). I know absolutely nothing about how payment works. Please help. Thanks!
they all get paid the same. i believe you get paid more if you play than if you're just on the roster. I think you get a few bucks for being in camp (travel expenses, at least). you get more for a WCQ than a friendly, stuff like that. i think it varies from a couple thousand on up. but this is all from memory (and some guessing) so don't quote me on it.
This is actually a great question. I was just thinking about it the other day. Can someone clarify how it works in further detail? How much do you get roughly for participating in a friendly versus a World Cup match/qualifier? And does FIFA have a ceiling on how much you can pay players?
I don't know the exact amounts, but no....there is no mandated minimum or maximum by FIFA.....it's whatever amount the particular Fed negotiates with its players. And yes, you are paid more for more important matches (again depending on the contract the particular Fed has with its players, but this seems to almost always be the case). Every player gets the same amount based on their participation (a certain amount for attending camp, more for making the roster, more for playing)....no extras for being a star or anything like that (these are "union" contracts...no individual merit pay). Bonuses are usually paid to National Teams as well....most Feds will give bonuses for meeting certain goals (qualifying for the WC, making it past the first round, more for the farther the team gets, etc.). EDIT: here are links to two articles...one for the men and one for the women... U.S. women Players sign new contract that carries through 2012. U.S. men USSF, player's union reach deal through 2010.
Didn't John Harkes book Captain for Life talk a little about some of the trouble the US players have had with US soccer in the past as far as money goes?
I remember watching a USA vs Brazil friendly on tv a few years ago. The announcer said that 3 of the players on Brazil's team each made more money than the whole US roster combined.
that was probably for club ball .... at least that would make more sense? was it for the national team pay? when's the last time we even played brazil?
Yes...There was almost a strike going into the 95 Copa America, but the players went ahead and played even though they didn't have a deal in place yet. There was a walk-out (a "strike") in 1996 for a short time until they settled on a contract. There was almost a strike situation in 2005/2006, but the deal was ironed out before it came to that. (see the article I linked to previously)
our complete record vs Brazil... August 17, 1930 Brazil 3-4 L Rio de Janeiro, Brazil February 26, 1992 Brazil 0-3 L Fortaleza, Brazil 40,000 August 2, 1992 Brazil 0-1 L Los Angeles, CA 18,749 June 6, 1993 Brazil 0-2 L Nike US Cup New Haven, CT 44,579 July 4, 1994 Brazil 0-1 L WC 2nd Rd Palo Alto, CA 84,177 July 20, 1995 Brazil 0-1 L Copa America SF Maldonado, Uruguay 9,000 January 18, 1996 Brazil 0-1 L Gold Cup SF Los Angeles, CA 22,038 February 10, 1998 Brazil 1-0 W Gold Cup SF Los Angeles, CA 12,298 July 28, 1999 Brazil 0-1 L Confed. Cup Guadalajara, Mexico 54,000 March 3, 2001 Brazil 1-2 L Pasadena, CA 45,387 June 21, 2003 Brazil 0-1 L Confed. Cup Lyon, France 20,306 July 23, 2003 Brazil 1-2 L Gold Cup SF Miami, FL 35,211