The Federal Chancellor reiterated his request during his visit to the German Football Association on Tuesday. He is concerned with the same bonuses for national players as for men. He had already suggested this during the European Championship, whereupon DFB managing director Oliver Bierhoff invited him to explain the numbers to him. These are likely to have been among them: At EUR 60,000 per player, the DFB women could expect the second-highest title bonus after the English – against whom they lost the final 1-2 – at the equivalent of EUR 65,000. Measured against the distribution of the European football union Uefa, they would have received a larger percentage in 2022 than the men in 2021.
It’s easy for Scholz to criticize something that he doesn’t have to worry about implementing. His demand is nevertheless justified – it is relevant in any case. “It’s important that well-known personalities stand up for us,” said national goalkeeper Merle Frohms recently. And of course it would send a strong signal to society if the premiums were adjusted, for example by men voluntarily giving up, as in Norway.
None of the DFB women would have anything against it. But such bonuses first have to be earned, finals reached, titles won. In England, 23 footballers could have been happy about the negotiated sum. However, this does not help the sustainable development of the entire division. Rightly so: equal play before equal pay: equal opportunities in every respect, in terms of training conditions, medical treatment, kick-off times and, yes, ultimately money.
It’s not primarily about receiving sums similar to those of football millionaires, but about a basic salary. In a Bundesliga where an estimated half of the players have to work alongside their sport, that would drive professionalism. There may also be a higher bonus for the national team.
