As an example of the financial disparity between African soccer and the top teams in Europe, we will compare the yearly salaries of soccer players around the world.
While Ronaldo – the currently highest paid player in soccer – is an extreme example, European leagues and even the MLS are able to offer their players far higher salaries than domestic leagues in Africa. It is clear from these numbers that even the best soccer nations in Africa do not have the resources to compete with the top teams in Europe.
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Chart was created using data from the following sources:
[1] Ronaldo
[2] South Africa PSL
[4] Michael Essien
[5] Kevin Kuranyi
