The pursuit of eternal glory and some extra cash will fuel Germany at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Each player on Germany’s 2018 FIFA World Cup team will earn a $435,000 (£311,000/€350,000) bonus if the team wins the tournament, Germany’s Football Association announced Wednesday, according to Reuters. Germany hopes the bonus will motivate its players to become the World Cup’s first back-to-back winner since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.
“This gives early and necessary calm and clarity before the tournament so that we can concentrate on the sporting tasks,” Germany team manager Oliver Bierhoff said in a statement, per Reuters. “It is a good sign when players are backing this (bonus) performance-based principle.”
Germany paid its 2014 World Cup players a $373,000 (£266,000/€300,000) bonus for winning the tournament.
Russia will host the 2018 World Cup, with the competition beginning June 14 and ending July 15. Germany was drawn into Group F, where it will face Mexico, Sweden and South Korea.
Germany is so confident of its chances at this summer’s tournament that players won’t earn bonuses until they reach the quarterfinals. Its bonus scale starts at $93,000 (£67,000/€75,000) if they reach the quarterfinals, $155,000 (£110,000/€125,000) for a semifinal berth and $200,000 (£178,000/€200,000) if they progress to the final and lose.
No pressure, then.
