A research by Finance Football throws up some interesting names and numbers about how much top coaches leading their teams to the World Cup in Qatar are earning.
With a little over a month to the start of the Mundial, the attention has always been on Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, and other superstars.
But this article turns the attention to the technical heads of various countries and a look at the top 10 highest-paid coaches ahead of the World Cup tournament in November.
Ghana head coach Otto Addo is conspicuously missing from the list since he comes no close to even the last person on the top 10 lists per the research by Finance Football.
One would have thought that England manager Gareth Southgate or for that matter, Didier Deschamps, manager of defending World Cup champions France, would occupy the top spot.
But it is not either of them or Brazi’s Tite.
Germany’s Hansi Flick is on top of the perch earning €6.5 million annually.
England manager Gareth Southgate
Southgate, though, is not too far behind with the former England international in second with a pay cheque of €5.8 million a year.
France manager Didier Deschamps
The 53-year-old Didier Deschamps, who won the 1998 World Cup as a player before guiding the Les Bleus to glory at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, earns €3.8 million annually.
Brazil boss Tite
Brazilian team manager Tite is the fourth best-paid manager in the world with a 61-year-old tactician earning €3.6 million.
Netherlands boss Louis van Gaal
The Netherlands’ Louis van Gaal, who earns €2.9 million, rounds out the top five.
Mexico head coach Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino
Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino is paid €2.9 million yearly.
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni
Mexico’s Gerardo Martino is sixth on the list followed by Argentina’s Lionel Scaloni. Portugal’s Fernando Santos is ninth.
Qatar head coach Félix Sánchez Bas
Félix Sánchez, coach of hosts Qatar is ninth on the list, earning a pay cheque of €2.4 million.
Spain’s Luis Enrique is 16th.
BEST PAID MANAGERS (Top 10):
1. Hans-Dieter Flick (Germany) €6.5 million
2. Gareth Southgate (England) €5.8 million
3. Didier Deschamps (France) €3.8 million
4. Tite (Brazil) €3.6 million
5. Louis van Gaal (Netherlands) €2.9 million
6. Gerardo Martino (Mexico) €2.9 million
7. Lionel Scaloni (Argentina) €2.6 million
8. Félix Sánchez Bas (Qatar) €2.4 million
9. Fernando Santos (Portugal) €2.2 million
10. Murat Yakın (Switzerland) €1.6 million