FIFA prepared a total cash bag of $358 million for the 2014 tournament.
The team of Germany that this Sunday, July 13, was consecrated champion of the World Cup in Brazil 2014 after winning 1-0 against Argentina at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro, will pocket $ 35 million dollars, FIFA announced.
Argentina, which finished second in the tournament, will return home with 25 million in its coffers.
While last Saturday, July 12, the match for third place between the Netherlands and Brazil was played. The Europeans won 3-0 against the hosts and took $22 million to their country; the verdeamarela received a prize of $ 20 million.
In total, FIFA will give a total of $358 million to the 32 teams that participated in the tournament.
Here’s how some of that money is distributed:
FIRST PRIZE
Germany’s federation will take home the $35 million prize given to the World Cup champion to spend at his choice.
It will be 5 million more than the champion Spain took four years ago in South Africa.
FIFA prepared a total cash bag of $358 million for the 2014 tournament.
THE PLAYERS
FIFA allows national associations to choose how to reward their 23 players.
Last year Germany promised all its players a bonus of 300,000 euros ($408,000) if they won the fourth World Cup. This is equivalent to the base salary of a couple of weeks of German players hired by wealthy European teams such as Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.
PRIZE POOL
The cash prizes for the other 28 federations that were eliminated will remain the same as in 2010.
Those who went to the quarterfinals receive 14 million dollars, those in the eighth receive 9 million and those who did not pass the group stage -like Ecuador- are left with 8 million.
In addition, FIFA paid $1.5 million in advance to each of the 32 federations to prepare for the tournament, $500,000 more than four years ago.
This would have helped pay for training camps before arriving in Brazil and solve some bonus issues for players from traditionally tenacious teams, especially from Africa.
PLAY BY PLAY
As always, the bonus payment exposed the financial problems of African federations and the persistent distrust of many players towards the leaders.
Three out of five African teams — Cameroon, Ghana and Nigeria — were distracted by the issue of payments.
The Cameroonian team arrived a day late because the players refused to get on the plane until forcing their federation into debt to ensure that the players would receive their payment.
Ghana’s government sent $3 million in cash — and had the Brazilian government circumvent laws on moving money — to prevent a strike by its players, who would have been promised a payment of between $75,000 and $100,000.
Nigeria’s players canceled training sessions ahead of the knockout match against France – where they lost – to ensure their bonuses were maintained. They were promised $10,000 each for each stage won and would have won $102,500 in total for the title.
FIFA’S PROMISE
FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke said it was “sad” that the bonus issue distracted attention from football.
He promised that in the future, FIFA will seek written agreements from the federations that the players who are hired will receive the money before reaching the World Cup, in this case, Russia, in 2018.
TO THE TEAMS
The teams that loaned the 736 players to participate in the 2014 World Cup will also have their slice of the winnings.
FIFA set aside $70 million to distribute an average of $2,800 for each day a player was performing his duties at the World Cup. The money is split between the player’s current team and any other club he had played for in the previous two years during the playoff matches.
