October 18, 2022
The brief from today:
MLS salaries revealed
The Major League Soccer Players’ Association (MLSPA) revealed specifics on the salaries being earned by footballers in the league. The now public list certainly provided some surprises with the chief amongst those being the minuscule compensation being doled out by LAFC for new signings: Giorgio Chiellini and Gareth Bale. Italian international, Chiellini, is currently on a $1 million per year salary, which is a far cry from what many assumed he would be earning considering the pedigree he joined the club with. Meanwhile, his teammate Bale, is also barely earning a fraction of his previous Real Madrid salary—which was $32.7 million annually. LAFC somehow managed to agree a contract with the 33-year-old Welshman that sees him currently making $1.6 million per year. It was only earlier this year that Bale was the third highest paid player in Europe, but his new salary makes him only the 23rd highest paid in the MLS! Some might argue that Chiellini’s age, 38, means he can’t command the fee Juventus was granting him, or that Bale’s interest in merely staying fit for the World Cup is what facilitated such cut rate deals for LAFC, but that doesn’t make it less shocking. Meanwhile, the top end of the MLS salary ladder involves players who also formerly plied their trade in Europe, with newcomer, Lorenzo Insigne, now the highest paid in the league thanks to the $14 million per annum Toronto FC is depositing in his account. Former Liverpool, and current Chicago Fire, winger Xherdan Shaqiri is the second highest paid at $8.15 million per year, while LA Galaxy striker, Javier Hernandez, is bringing in $7.44 million each season. The common thread between the latter three seems is the correlation between their arrivals in MLS, and their ability to still play at a relatively high level. Perhaps the ongoing potential is what ultimately affords them such impressive wage packets, while the likes of Chiellini and Bale have to adjust to a new normal financially speaking.
First season in the league, and Lorenzo Insigne is already the top earner in MLS
2023 Asian Cup gets relocated
Asia’s continental competition, the Asian Cup, is scheduled to take place next summer, but there was some recent confusion on where it would actually be held. Originally set to be hosted by China, things quickly changed earlier this year when the government stated that their Zero-COVID policy wouldn’t permit them to stage the event. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) were then left scrambling trying to select a new location for the 24-team tournament, but today they finally reached a consensus. Qatar has been selected as the host nation for the latest edition of the Cup, which makes it an extended busy period for the tiny Gulf nation. Following their hosting of the World Cup this winter, they will have to shift gears and prepare to welcome a new set of supporters during the summer for what will also be an event with challenges. On a positive note, local fans will be pleased because it isn’t just another tournament on home soil. Qatar are the current Asian Cup holders so this will add some more intrigue to proceedings, and will now encourage increased home support to cheer on the defending champions.
Qatar won the last Asian Cup, and now they will be the hosts for 2023 edition