Imagine a world without Zlatan: why football talents need your support

In the financial world of football, there is a discrepancy between a player's transfer fee and the salary they receive – you know, the money that actually goes into the player's accounts, not the club's, lawyers' or agents'. As a result of this discrepancy, talented players without material means have little to no chance of making it in professional football. Besides the pure love for the game, football is, in essence, a game of money, investment and profit. Yet, this profit does not go to those most involved: the players and supporters.

Take Zlatan, for example. When he first signed with a professional football club, he earned an annual salary of less than €18,000. Although he was transferred for a massive amount at the time, he found that he was the lowest-earning player at his new team in Holland. Although he was the club’s most expensive acquisition, he was going home with the least amount of money. Don’t fret, the equivalent of this salary was still around €180,000 a year. That's 10 times more than he signed for at the start of his professional career. With the transfer to Italy, Zlatan reached €1.7 million per season in his first year. Soon, he was at his second Italian club, where he reached €12 million per season.

So, the next time you watch Zlatan's greatest goals, remember that, before his greatness came a time of struggle and uncertainty. He mentions in his autobiography that, after his transfer to Holland, there were weeks where he had to move in with a clubmate because his fridge was empty. He had no money to buy food, even though he was the club's most expensive transfer. It would have been nice to have someone by his side to support him and invest in his career. Someone who sees his potential and can support him while he works at his dream.

Zlatan doesn't need you anymore, but tens of thousands of young talents who abandon football for a job do. Bills and empty fridges don't discriminate against anyone, not even against the future greats of the football world.

We can't promise we'll discover the next Zlatan, although we want to. If you want to be part of a young football talent's success story – and part of the change that’s shaking up football –it’s time to invest with Nordensa. Did you know that a player's supporters get 3% of his salary for 5 years? Be part of the change that excels talent.