Doesn't it say something when you have a nation of 150m people that exports sportsmen and women to other countries, is particularly football mad and many of whose exports are footballers in major leagues around the world, yet with all that braggadocio, these athletes do not rank in the money stakes?
Sports development is so poor in Nigeria that many good athletes have had to change nationalities just to gain access to better facilities, meaningful careers or even lifestyles.
ESPN, the global but American sports news network recently threw up a survey of high earners, country by country. See if you can spot the Nigerian or even Nigeria. There is a Vietnamese listed for goodness sake!
Sports represented: soccer 114, basketball 18, baseball 12, auto racing 6, golf 5, American football 5, hockey 5, cricket 4, boxing 3, track and field 3, rugby 2, tennis 2, badminton 1, cycling 1, motorcycle racing 1, sumo 1, yachting 1.
|
Country |
Best-Paid Athlete |
Sport |
League, Team (or Competition) |
Annual Salary |
Per Capita GDP |
|
Albania |
Lorik Cana |
soccer |
Turkey, Galatasaray |
$2,500,000 |
$3,846 |
|
Algeria |
Nadir Belhadj |
soccer |
Qatar, Al Sadd |
$2,779,000 |
$4,029 |
|
American Samoa |
American football |
NFL, Cincinnati Bengals |
$2,950,000 |
$7,874 |
|
|
Andorra |
Ildefons Lima |
soccer |
Switzerland, AC Bellinzona |
$531,822 |
$43,770 |
|
Angola |
Manucho |
soccer |
Turkey, Manisaspor |
$865,579 |
$1,892 |
|
Argentina |
soccer |
EPL, Manchester City |
$19,000,000 |
$7,666 |
|
|
Armenia |
Henrikh Mkhitaryan |
soccer |
Ukraine, Shakhtar Donetsk |
$360,000 |
$2,770 |
|
Australia |
basketball |
NBA, Milwaukee Bucks |
$11,050,000 |
$47,615 |
|
|
Austria |
hockey |
NHL, Buffalo Sabres |
$6,400,000 |
$45,563 |
|
|
Azerbaijan |
Aleksandr Samedov |
soccer |
Russia, Dynamo Moscow |
$1,287,000 |
$4,871 |
|
Bahrain |
Abdullah Omar Ismail |
soccer |
Switzerland, Neuchatel Xamax |
$202,086 |
$24,409 |
|
Bangladesh |
Shakib Al Hasan |
cricket |
IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders |
$425,000 |
$550 |
|
Belarus |
soccer |
EPL, Birmingham City |
$3,300,000 |
$5,090 |
|
|
Belgium |
soccer |
EPL, Manchester City |
$5,340,000 |
$44,254 |
|
|
Benin |
soccer |
EPL, Sunderland |
$2,800,000 |
$739 |
|
|
Bermuda |
Reggie Lambe |
soccer |
England (D3), Bristol Rovers |
$480,000 |
$101,346 |
|
Bolivia |
Marcelo Moreno |
soccer |
Ukraine, Shakhtar Donetsk |
$883,449 |
$1,758 |
|
Bosnia |
soccer |
EPL, Manchester City |
$8,470,000 |
$4,525 |
|
|
Botswana |
Mogogi Gabonamong |
soccer |
South Africa, SuperSport United |
$354,000 |
$5,959 |
|
Brazil |
auto racing |
Formula One |
$17,052,632 |
$8,114 |
|
|
Brunei Darussalam |
hockey |
NHL, Pittsburgh Penguins |
$550,000 |
$26,385 |
|
|
Bulgaria |
soccer |
EPL, Manchester United |
$6,700,000 |
$6,458 |
|
|
Burkina Faso |
soccer |
France, Marseille |
$1,118,000 |
$517 |
|
|
Burundi |
Saidi Ntibazonkiza |
soccer |
Poland, MKS Cracovia |
$315,000 |
$151 |
|
Cameroon |
soccer |
Serie A, Inter Milan |
$8,000,000 |
$1,136 |
|
|
Canada |
baseball |
MLB, New York Mets |
$18,125,000 |
$39,795 |
|
|
Cape Verde |
Cafu |
soccer |
Cyprus, Anorthosis Famagusta |
$287,000 |
$3,131 |
|
Central African Republic |
Eloge Enza Yanissi |
soccer |
France, Troyes |
$206,000 |
$448 |
|
Chad |
Misdongarde Betoligar |
soccer |
Serbia, FK Metalac |
$21,500 |
$610 |
|
Chile |
Mark Gonzalez |
soccer |
Russia, CSKA Moscow |
$9,324,958 |
$9,623 |
|
China |
basketball |
NBA, Houston Rockets |
$17,700,000 |
$3,769 |
|
|
Colombia |
auto racing |
NASCAR |
$5,088,410 |
$5,031 |
|
|
Comoros |
Kassim Abdallah |
soccer |
France, CS Sedan Ardennes |
$120,000 |
$785 |
|
Cook Islands |
Stan Wright |
rugby union |
Magners League, Leinster |
$204,000 |
$9,749 |
|
Costa Rica |
Bryan Ruiz |
soccer |
Netherlands, FC Twente |
$1,720,828 |
$6,395 |
|
Ivory Coast |
soccer |
EPL, Manchester City |
$18,200,000 |
$1,093 |
|
|
Croatia |
soccer |
EPL, Tottenham Hotspur |
$4,900,000 |
$14,273 |
|
|
Cuba |
baseball |
MLB, Milwaukee Brewers |
$4,300,000 |
$5,437 |
|
|
Curaçao |
baseball |
MLB, Atlanta Braves |
$3,250,000 |
$20,295 |
|
|
Cyprus |
Constandinos Charalambides |
soccer |
Cyprus, Apoel F.C. Nicosia |
$1,589,000 |
$29,263 |
|
Czech Republic |
soccer |
EPL, Chelsea |
$7,400,000 |
$18,344 |
|
|
Dem. Rep. of the Congo |
Herita Ilunga |
soccer |
EPL, West Ham United |
$2,730,000 |
$170 |
|
Denmark |
soccer |
EPL, Liverpool |
$4,500,000 |
$56,687 |
|
|
Djibouti |
Ismail Ahmed Kadar Hassan |
soccer |
Slovakia, F.K. Dunajska Streda |
$51,500 |
$1,076 |
|
Dominican Republic |
baseball |
MLB, Chicago Cubs |
$19,000,000 |
$4,618 |
|
|
Ecuador |
soccer |
EPL, Manchester United |
$6,361,983 |
$4,206 |
|
|
Egypt (Tie) |
Mohammed Zidan |
soccer |
Bundesliga, Borussia Dortmund |
$2,580,000 |
$2,265 |
|
|
Mohamed Abu Treika |
soccer |
Egypt, Al Ahly |
$2,580,000 |
|
|
El Salvador |
soccer |
MLS, Real Salt Lake |
$201,922 |
$3,424 |
|
|
England |
auto racing |
Formula One |
$18,473,684 |
$35,239 |
|
|
Equatorial Guinea |
Rodolfo Bodipo |
soccer |
Spain (D2), Elche |
$430,000 |
$17,544 |
|
Eritrea |
Zersenay Tadese |
track and field |
Road running |
$340,000 |
$369 |
|
Estonia |
Ragnar Klavan |
soccer |
Netherlands, AZ Alkmaar |
$2,006,000 |
$14,374 |
|
Ethiopia |
Tilahun Regassa |
track and field |
Road running |
$318,250 |
$345 |
|
Faroe Islands |
Christian Holst |
soccer |
Denmark, Silkeborg |
$1,630,000 |
$32,800 |
|
Fiji |
golf |
PGA Tour |
$1,334,262 |
$3,604 |
|
|
Finland |
auto racing |
World Rally Championship |
$26,333,333 |
$44,688 |
|
|
France |
soccer |
Bundesliga, Bayern Munich |
$14,100,000 |
$41,226 |
|
|
French Guiana |
soccer |
EPL, Chelsea |
$3,441,823 |
$8,300 |
|
|
Gabon |
Daniel Cousin |
soccer |
Greece, Larissa |
$645,000 |
$7,647 |
|
Gambia |
Ousman Jallow |
soccer |
Denmark, Brondby |
$314,000 |
$543 |
|
Georgia |
basketball |
NBA, Atlanta Hawks |
$4,251,250 |
$2,522 |
|
|
Germany |
basketball |
NBA, Dallas Mavericks |
$17,278,618 |
$40,528 |
|
|
Ghana |
soccer |
EPL, Chelsea |
$5,500,000 |
$627 |
|
|
Greece |
Theodoros Papaloukas |
basketball |
Greece, Olympiakos |
$4,400,000 |
$29,006 |
|
Greenland |
Jesper Gronkjaer |
soccer |
Denmark, FC Copenhagen |
$923,440 |
$22,126 |
|
Guadeloupe |
basketball |
NBA, Phoenix Suns |
$5,300,000 |
$7,900 |
|
|
Guatemala |
soccer |
MLS, Philadelphia Union |
$306,670 |
$2,661 |
|
|
Guinea |
Ibrahima Yattara |
soccer |
Turkey, Trabzonspor |
$717,000 |
$470 |
|
Guinea-Bissau |
Almami Moreira |
soccer |
China, Dalian Aerbin |
$573,000 |
$517 |
|
Haiti |
basketball |
NBA, Sacramento Kings |
$12,200,000 |
$626 |
|
|
Honduras |
soccer |
Serie A, Inter Milan |
$5,716,476 |
$1,930 |
|
|
Hungary |
soccer |
EPL, Fulham |
$2,970,000 |
$12,886 |
|
|
Iceland |
soccer |
EPL, Fulham |
$2,538,000 |
$37,616 |
|
|
India |
Ms Dhoni |
cricket |
IPL, Chennai Super Kings |
$1,800,000 |
$1,075 |
|
Indonesia |
Bambang Pamungkas |
soccer |
Indonesia, Persija Jakarta |
$160,000 |
$2,349 |
|
Iran |
basketball |
NBA, Memphis Grizzlies |
$1,600,000 |
$4,863 |
|
|
Iraq |
Nashat Akram |
soccer |
Qatar, Al-Wakrah |
$900,000 |
$830 |
|
Ireland |
John O'shea |
soccer |
EPL, Manchester United |
$6,800,000 |
$49,115 |
|
Israel |
soccer |
EPL, Chelsea |
$6,859,267 |
$27,061 |
|
|
Italy |
Valentino Rossi |
motorcycle racing |
Moto GP |
$20,800,000 |
$35,289 |
|
Jamaica |
Ricardo Gardner |
soccer |
EPL, Bolton |
$2,613,074 |
$4,566 |
|
Japan |
baseball |
MLB, Seattle Mariners |
$18,000,000 |
$39,864 |
|
|
Jordan |
Odai Al-Saify |
soccer |
Cyprus, Alki Larnaca |
$145,000 |
$3,973 |
|
Kazakhstan |
hockey |
NHL, Atlanta Thrashers |
$3,750,000 |
$6,981 |
|
|
Kenya |
soccer |
Serie A, Inter Milan |
$11,300,000 |
$739 |
|
|
Kuwait |
Bader Al-Mutwa |
soccer |
Saudi Arabia, Al-Nassr FC |
$400,000 |
$36,668 |
|
Kyrgyzstan |
Mirlan Murzaev |
soccer |
Israel, Hapoel Petah Tikva |
$150,000 |
$835 |
|
Latvia |
basketball |
$9,000,000 |
$11,505 |
||
|
Lebanon |
soccer |
Bundesliga, FC Cologne |
$1,074,839 |
$8,175 |
|
|
Lesotho |
Lehlohonolo Seema |
soccer |
South Africa, Orlando Pirates |
$34,300 |
$780 |
|
Liberia |
Sekou Oliseh |
soccer |
Russia, CSKA Moscow |
$573,000 |
$216 |
|
Libya |
Tariq El Taib |
soccer |
Libya, Al Ahly Tripoli |
$1,130,000 |
$9,153 |
|
Liechtenstein |
Martin Stocklasa |
soccer |
Austria, SV Ried |
$978,800 |
$134,392 |
|
Lithuania |
basketball |
NBA, Toronto Raptors |
$4,995,000 |
$11,211 |
|
|
Luxembourg |
Andy Schleck |
road bicycle racing |
pro cycling |
$2,700,000 |
$108,706 |
|
Macedonia |
soccer |
Serie A, Inter Milan |
$4,250,000 |
$4,662 |
|
|
Madagascar |
soccer |
France, AJ Auxerre |
$86,000 |
$448 |
|
|
Malawi |
Tamika Mkandawire |
soccer |
England (D2), Millwall |
$571,000 |
$318 |
|
Malaysia |
Lee Chong Wei |
badminton |
BWF Super Series |
$106,000 |
$6,967 |
|
Mali |
soccer |
La Liga, Sevilla |
$8,600,000 |
$679 |
|
|
Malta |
Michael Mifsud |
soccer |
Malta, Qormi |
$1,142,000 |
$19,543 |
|
Martinique |
basketball |
NBA, New York Knicks |
$4,000,000 |
$14,400 |
|
|
Mauritania |
Pascal Gourville |
soccer |
France (D4), Moissy-Cramayel |
$353,000 |
$866 |
|
Mauritius |
Diallo Guidileye |
soccer |
France, Stade Brest |
$313,000 |
$6,729 |
|
Mexico |
baseball |
MLB, Colorado Rockies |
$10,000,000 |
$7,956 |
|
|
Moldova |
Alexandru Epureanu |
soccer |
Russia, Dynamo Moscow |
$1,433,000 |
$1,500 |
|
Mongolia |
Hakuho |
sumo |
Japan Sumo Wrestling |
$400,000 |
$1,577 |
|
Montenegro |
soccer |
Serie A, AS Roma |
$6,020,000 |
$6,546 |
|
|
Morocco |
soccer |
EPL, Arsenal |
$4,247,000 |
$2,834 |
|
|
Mozambique |
Mate Simao Junior |
soccer |
Greece, Panathinaikos |
$516,000 |
$418 |
|
Northern Ireland |
Graeme McDowell |
golf |
PGA, European tours |
$5,176,586 |
$35,239 |
|
Namibia |
soccer |
Bundesliga, Hamburg |
$1,000,000 |
$4,288 |
|
|
Nepal |
Santosh Sahukhala |
soccer |
Nepal, Manang Marshyangdi Club |
$8,430 |
$452 |
|
Netherlands |
soccer |
EPL, Manchester City |
$10,500,000 |
$47,889 |
|
|
New Caledonia |
soccer |
EPL, West Ham United |
$2,972,339 |
$37,124 |
|
|
New Zealand |
Russell Coutts |
yachting |
RC 44 Championship Tour |
$10,000,000 |
$27,384 |
|
Nicaragua |
baseball |
MLB, Los Angeles Dodgers |
$2,000,000 |
$1,114 |
|
|
Niger |
Alhassane Issoufou |
soccer |
Morocco, FUS de Rabat |
$200,000 |
$343 |
|
Nigeria |
soccer |
EPL, Chelsea |
$5,800,000 |
$1,123 |
|
|
Niue |
Michael Junior Jackson |
track and field |
sprinter, per six weeks of training |
$5,000 |
$5,800 |
|
North Korea (Tie) |
An Yong-Hak |
soccer |
J-League, Kashiwa Reysol |
$619,107 |
$499 |
|
|
Jong Tae-Se |
soccer |
Germany (D2), VFL Bochum |
$619,107 |
|
|
Norway |
soccer |
EPL, Stoke City |
$4,500,000 |
$78,674 |
|
|
Oman |
soccer |
EPL, Wigan Athletic |
$3,000,000 |
$18,876 |
|
|
Pakistan |
Shahid Afridi |
cricket |
Pakistan national team salary (100K), plus est. pro cricket salary (two teams) |
$136,000 |
$886 |
|
Palestine |
Fadi Lafi |
soccer |
Oman, Saham |
$65,000 |
$1,367 |
|
Panama |
baseball |
MLB, Houston Astros |
$19,000,000 |
$7,155 |
|
|
Papua New Guinea |
Nev Costigan |
rugby league |
NRL, Newcastle Knights |
$216,667 |
$1,174 |
|
Paraguay |
soccer |
EPL, Manchester City |
$7,668,947 |
$2,314 |
|
|
Peru |
soccer |
Bundesliga, Werder Bremen |
$5,448,894 |
$4,403 |
|
|
Philippines |
Manny Pacquiao |
boxing |
two fights in 2010 |
$32,000,000 |
$1,747 |
|
Poland |
auto racing |
Formula One |
$10,657,895 |
$11,311 |
|
|
Portugal |
soccer |
La Liga, Real Madrid |
$19,500,000 |
$21,807 |
|
|
Puerto Rico |
baseball |
MLB, New York Mets |
$19,325,436 |
$24,744 |
|
|
Qatar |
Sebastian Soria Quintana |
soccer |
Qatar, Qatar SC |
$391,000 |
$69,754 |
|
Republic of the Congo |
soccer |
EPL, Blackburn Rovers |
$3,000,000 |
$2,704 |
|
|
Romania |
soccer |
Serie A, Inter Milan |
$5,013,000 |
$7,573 |
|
|
Russia |
basketball |
NBA, Utah Jazz |
$17,822,187 |
$8,736 |
|
|
Rwanda |
Olivier Karekezi |
soccer |
Sweden, Oster |
$52,000 |
$527 |
|
Samoa |
David Tua |
boxing |
October 2009 bout |
$500,000 |
$2,926 |
|
San Marino |
soccer |
Serie A, Cesena |
$172,000 |
$54,104 |
|
|
Saudi Arabia |
Mohammed Noor |
soccer |
Saudi Arabia, Al-Ittihad |
$1,200,000 |
$14,353 |
|
Scotland |
soccer |
EPL, Manchester United |
$5,000,000 |
$35,239 |
|
|
Senegal |
basketball |
NBA, Charlotte Bobcats |
$6,478,600 |
$1,018 |
|
|
Serbia |
basketball |
NBA, Dallas Mavericks |
$15,602,138 |
$5,612 |
|
|
Seychelles |
soccer |
EPL, Wolverhampton |
$2,100,000 |
$9,354 |
|
|
Sierra Leone |
American football |
NFL, Minnesota Vikings |
$2,974,000 |
$393 |
|
|
Singapore |
golf |
Asian, Euro golf tours |
$500,609 |
$37,394 |
|
|
Slovakia |
hockey |
NHL, Chicago Blackhawks |
$7,900,000 |
$16,203 |
|
|
Slovenia |
hockey |
NHL, Los Angeles Kings |
$6,000,000 |
$24,333 |
|
|
Somalia |
soccer |
England (D2), Scunthorpe |
$340,000 |
$220 |
|
|
South Africa |
golf |
PGA Tour |
$5,347,012 |
$5,707 |
|
|
South Korea |
Ji-Sung Park |
soccer |
EPL, Manchester United |
$4,700,000 |
$17,225 |
|
Spain |
auto racing |
Formula One |
$22,736,842 |
$32,605 |
|
|
Sri Lanka |
Mahela Jayawardene |
cricket |
IPL, Kochi Tuskers Kerala |
$1,500,000 |
$2,112 |
|
Sudan |
basketball |
NBA, Chicago Bulls |
$11,355,850 |
$1,305 |
|
|
Suriname |
soccer |
Serie A, AC Milan |
$4,000,000 |
$5,707 |
|
|
Swaziland |
Tony Tsabedze |
soccer |
South Africa, Santos Cape Town |
$212,000 |
$2,668 |
|
Sweden |
soccer |
Serie A, AC Milan |
$12,700,000 |
$43,903 |
|
|
Switzerland |
tennis |
ATP Tour |
$7,698,289 |
$65,003 |
|
|
Syria |
Sanharib Malki |
soccer |
Belgium, Lokeren |
$400,000 |
$2,463 |
|
Tahiti |
tennis |
ATP Tour |
$19,500 |
$16,858 |
|
|
Taiwan |
baseball |
MLB, Los Angeles Dodgers |
$2,725,000 |
$18,500 |
|
|
Tajikistan |
Farkhod Vasiev |
soccer |
Russia, Zhemchuzhina-Sochi |
$145,000 |
$716 |
|
Tanzania |
basketball |
NBA, Houston Rockets |
$4,793,280 |
$526 |
|
|
Thailand |
golf |
European and Asian tours |
$1,400,000 |
$3,894 |
|
|
Togo |
soccer |
EPL, Manchester City |
$11,900,000 |
$480 |
|
|
Tonga |
American football |
NFL, Pittsburgh Steelers |
$2,369,000 |
$3,259 |
|
|
Trinidad And Tobago |
American football |
NFL, Minnesota Vikings |
$1,425,000 |
$15,782 |
|
|
Tunisia |
soccer |
Bundesliga, Hannover 96 |
$820,000 |
$3,852 |
|
|
Turkey |
basketball |
NBA, Orlando Magic |
$9,800,000 |
$8,215 |
|
|
UAE |
Ismail Matar |
soccer |
UAE, Al-Wahda |
$360,000 |
$54,138 |
|
Uganda |
American football |
NFL, New York Giants |
$1,776,000 |
$523 |
|
|
Ukraine |
Vitali Klitschko |
boxing |
estimated average per fight |
$6-8M |
$2,569 |
|
Uruguay |
soccer |
La Liga, Atletico Madrid |
$7,169,746 |
$9,376 |
|
|
U.S. Virgin Islands |
basketball |
NBA, San Antonio Spurs |
$18,700,000 |
$13,660 |
|
|
USA |
baseball |
MLB, New York Yankees |
$32,000,000 |
$44,872 |
|
|
Uzbekistan |
Maksim Shatskikh |
soccer |
Ukraine, Arsenal Kiev |
$120,000 |
$1,199 |
|
Venezuela |
baseball |
MLB, New York Mets |
$21,644,707 |
$11,404 |
|
|
Vietnam |
Lee Nguyen |
soccer |
Vietnam, Becamex Binh Duong |
180,000 |
$1,058 |
|
Wales |
soccer |
EPL, Manchester United |
$6,300,000 |
$35,239 |
|
|
Zambia |
Chris Katongo |
soccer |
Greece, AO Skoda Xanthi |
$315,300 |
$985 |
|
Zimbabwe |
soccer |
EPL, Blackburn Rovers |
$3,405,584 |
$324 |
ESPN Editors' note: No pros from Afghanistan, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Palau, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. Salaries not available for Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bhutan, Bonaire, Cambodia, Cayman Islands, Dominica, East Timor, Grenada, Mauritus, Micronesia, Monaco, Monserrat, Myanmar, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grendadines, Turkmenistan, Turks and Caicos or Yemen.
Data gathered by Sulaiman Folarin, Jeff Gold, Lizzie Haldane, Adesina O. Koiki, Brandon Lilly, John Mastroberardino, Jason Matloff, Doug McIntyre and Gueorgui Milkov. Special thanks to Ori Cooper, director of IMScouting.
Did they simply ignore us or are we truly not in the reckoning?
What do you think?
