Italy, wages compared with rivals in the World Cup playoffs

There are the fairy tales, the twists and first of all the 90 minutes (at least) of camp in which the story is written. But there is also money which, as we know, in football gives an idea of ​​the different starting points of the contenders.

scenarios

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In the playoffs in March, to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, Italy will be favored over Northern Ireland and also over their possible rivals for the decisive match, Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina. It will be favored for history, of course, but also for the absolute value that Gattuso can draw on to form the Italian team for the most important mission of all. Being the favorite puts pressure, but as the coach explained well after the defeat against Norway, this team also needs to understand how strong it can really be, defying expectations with an awareness of its own means. Here, from this point of view, the money well represents the enormous gap between Italy and the opponents it will face at the gates of spring in four months.

triple digits

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It may be contested that the Italian group is no longer full of well-established champions as was the case until about twenty years ago, but the analysis of the salaries received by the players called up for the various national teams in question faithfully represents the realities from which the protagonists of the world play-offs come. Remaining on the first match, Italy-Northern Ireland, we immediately notice how the total salaries of the Azzurri almost increase the wages of the British tenfold, 102 to 10.6. After signing with Al Qadsiah and leaving Serie A, Retegui is now the highest paid at 16 million euros plus bonuses, followed by captain Gianluigi Donnarumma (12) who moved to Manchester City in the summer and then Sandro Tonali (7) to Newcastle. Not surprisingly, all three protagonists abroad and not in Italy, but it is no longer surprising. Of course, if Northern Ireland is in the playoffs it means it’s worth it: full-back Conor Bradley plays at Liverpool and it’s no coincidence that he is the highest paid among his compatriots (2.4 million per year), but Trai Hume and Daniel Ballard of Sunderland also exceed one million in salary and are used to the rhythms of the Premier League. The difference is above all in the rest of the squad available to selector O’Neill: many fight in the English second or third division and therefore certainly cannot boast the experience and habit of playing on the big stages of their Italian colleagues. If when a big Serie A team faces a top European club the difference in salaries is highlighted to give an idea of ​​the undertaking to which one is called, this time there is our national team on the other side, richer and stronger than those who will certainly do everything to make history against a “big” team that too often feels “small”.

Wales and Bosnia

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Italy, in the first pot, drew the Northern Irish who were in the bottom and therefore it is logical that from Wales and Bosnia-Herzegovina – the two teams paired with Gattuso’s – we expect greater quality and therefore higher wages. This is so, because the Balkans in terms of salaries are just above Bradley and his companions, at around 12 million euros per year in total, and the leaders are two Serie A footballers: both Sead Kolasinac of Atalanta and Edin Dzeko of Fiorentina are close to two million per year. The Welsh reach almost double (23), pushed by other Premier League protagonists: Ben Davies and Brennan Johnson of Tottenham Hotspur, Daniel James of Leeds United and so on. In short, we are the scrooges, whether we like it or not. And we cannot fail.