This article will compare the average salaries earned by footballers across Europe’s major leagues. We will look at the English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, Italian Serie A, German Bundesliga, and French Ligue 1. These five leagues make up Europe’s “big five” in terms of revenue, viewership, and talent. By examining average wages, we can get a sense of which leagues pay their players the most on average.
Highest Salaries Found in England’s Premier League
The English Premier League is widely considered the most lucrative league in world football. Thanks to huge broadcasting deals and wealthy club owners, Premier League clubs pay the highest average salaries to players. Recent analysis shows that the average EPL footballer earns ยฃ2.99 million per year, or approximately ยฃ57,000 per week.
- Manchester City has the highest average salary at ยฃ5.99 million.
- The lowest average salary in the EPL is ยฃ1.6 million (Newcastle United).
- Superstars like Kevin De Bruyne earn over ยฃ350,000 weekly.
- Even newly promoted sides like Fulham pay averages above ยฃ2 million.
The massive broadcasting and sponsorship deals allow English teams to bring in top global talent with huge contracts. The Premier League’s popularity around the world drives its clubs’ financial power.
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La Liga Salaries High at Top Clubs Like Barcelona and Real Madrid
Spain’s La Liga comes second in terms of average salaries. The average La Liga player earns around ยฃ1.8 million annually, or ยฃ35,000 weekly. This figure is driven up by mega-deals at Real Madrid and Barcelona.
- Real Madrid and Barca pay averages over ยฃ7 million.
- Lower table La Liga clubs pay averages closer to ยฃ500,000.
- La Liga has lost ground in recent years as EPL has grown.
Bundesliga Salaries Reflect Germany’s Wage Restraint
Germany’s Bundesliga pays moderate average salaries compared to other big leagues. The average Bundesliga salary is around ยฃ1.4 million, or ยฃ25,000 weekly.
- Bayern Munich pulls up the average with ยฃ4.3 million.
- Most Bundesliga teams pay between ยฃ500,000 to ยฃ2 million on average.
- Stars like Mรผller earn around ยฃ300,000 weekly.
- The Bundesliga model promotes cost control and sustainability.
The Bundesliga’s strong ownership regulations – including 50+1 rule – contribute to wage restraint. Bayern is the lone outlier that lures top stars with big contracts. Otherwise, Bundesliga wages reflect Germany’s economic conservatism.
Huge Disparities in Serie A Salaries
Italy’s Serie A has seen average salaries decline along with the league’s prestige. The average Serie A salary sits at around ยฃ1.1 million.
- Juventus pay far above the rest – around ยฃ4.7 million on average.
- Most clubs pay between ยฃ500,000 to ยฃ1.5 million as an average.
- Only five Serie A players make more than ยฃ100,000 weekly.
- Poor ownership and finances hamper Italian clubs outside Juventus.
Serie A clubs have fallen behind their European peers financially. Beyond Juventus, most clubs cannot afford big wages for players. The league’s popularity and economics have waned compared to the EPL and La Liga.
Ligue 1 Salaries Rank Lowest Among Big Five Leagues
France’s Ligue 1 now pays the lowest average salary among Europe’s big five leagues. The average Ligue 1 player earns around ยฃ800,000 annually, or ยฃ15,000 weekly.
- PSG pays far above the rest, around ยฃ5.6 million on average.
- Kylian Mbappรฉ, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1, is the highest-paid footballer in the world. He earns a reported salary of โฌ40 million per year.
- Most Ligue 1 clubs pay averages between ยฃ200,000 and ยฃ1 million.
- Aside from PSG, only Marseille and Lyon pay over ยฃ1 million on average.
- Ligue 1 suffers from poor commercial appeal and TV deals.
Ligue 1 has fallen behind the other big European leagues economically. Outside of PSG, most French clubs cannot afford big wages compared to European competitors. Ligue 1 has developed fewer bankable global stars in recent years as well.
Conclusion: Premier League Remains Europe’s Richest League
It is clear that the English Premier League offers the highest average salaries for footballers among Europe’s major leagues. Thanks to the Premier League’s massive popularity and revenue around the world, even newly promoted sides can pay millions in weekly wages for top talent.
While leagues like La Liga and the Bundesliga remain competitive, the economic disparities are stark. Outside of one or two juggernaut clubs, most teams in these leagues pay far less on average compared to the EPL.
As broadcast rights continue to grow in value worldwide, expect the Premier League’s financial dominance to continue driving elite salaries for the world’s best football talent.
