In 2022, Cristiano Ronaldo signed a contract with Saudi Arabia that would pay him approximately $213 million per year in salary. Recently, that contract was extended to expire in the summer of 2026. In terms of yearly salary, Ronaldo’s with Saudi Arabia is the highest in sports history. However, before Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo was primarily a European player, playing with Manchester United, Real Madrid and others.
The issue of loyalty and whether to stay on the same team or go to a different one for a higher salary has always been a controversial issue. While it’s nice to stay with your team, many athletes are tempted by the potential of higher income or better leagues. To further that issue, some athletes choose to play for a different nation for the sake of competing at a higher level or getting better pay.
The truth is that no athletes should be condemned for leaving their teams for profit or even for leaving the country. As professional athletes, there is a right to choose what leagues or teams they play for.
Additionally, for most athletes, income is one of the highest priorities because athletes have a shorter career compared to just about any other job. An injury can mean the end of their whole career. Even without an injury, athletes generally retire at around age 34, with careers usually not lasting longer than 10 years.
While athletes usually have a higher annual salary than some professions, they have to retire earlier than most professions. If an athlete didn’t have enough income when they were active, retirement life can be hard, especially if they need to support their family.
“For instance … a teacher needs to get as much pay as they can because they have to pay [for] mortgages and kids,” said physical education teacher Linda Brown. “It’s the same for [athletes]. Now they have a lot of money, [but] they have the same needs that we all have in that they have families that they have to provide for, and that may be an extended family.”
Changing teams is also very common. The average National Basketball Association player plays for 2.51 different teams over the span of their career. National Football League quarterback Josh Johnson has played for a record 14 teams. It is the norm to play for more than one team and only 67 NBA athletes out of around 4,800 have ever played for the same team for the entire span of their career.
Those who believe athletes should stay loyal to their original teams state the emergence of professional athletes who play not for the game but for profit as a reason. They are afraid that the magic of sports will be ruined by athletes who compete not to improve, but for money.
“If you’re just doing it, like Ronaldo, just so you can get more money, like hundreds of millions,” said sophomore Noah Prasso. “He already has enough, then I think that’s unnecessary, and he should just go for a team where he’ll have a better fan base.”
This, however, is not a valid reason because even if athletes play for money, they can only get profitable contracts if they demonstrate great performances.
An example of a situation in which playing for a different country would be completely acceptable is in case of the Olympics. During the 2024 Paris Olympics, despite playing for the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA, Victor Wembanyama played for the French team.
“I don’t see a problem … that you go somewhere else and say, ‘Hey, I’d like to play for you,’” Brown said. “If you’re not the best in your country, especially if [that athlete] has dual nationality.”
Representing a different country in the Olympics is a good idea when the country an athlete is especially good at the sport they play. Instead of being unable to get into the top few, that athlete can play for a different nation, both improving the nation’s results and being able to participate in the Olympics.
Despite inciting some concerns, the transfer of athletes between teams or nations in the pursuit of profit and a higher level of playing is reasonable and even beneficial. Athletes who change teams do not harm the professional sports world in any way and deserve to be recognized for their excellent skills and allowed to earn more as well as play in better leagues.
It is troubling that anyone would condemn athletes for wanting a higher salary when everyone else has that desire and acts on it. A professional athlete is justified to play for whichever team they want, regardless of whether they stay “loyal” to original teams.
