Edward Sekalo

Arusha, Tanzania - Drowned in the on-field exploits, the big money news of the 2010 World Cup is that the US team are in line for an $895,131 payday, but only if (IF) they win the World Cup.

The figure is noteworthy first because at $895,131 per player for a squad of 23, the US soccer federation could be splashing nearly $21m in early July-a record as far as World Cup bonuses go. But that is nothing for the world's biggest economy which usually spends in billions.

Second, pledging nearly $1m for each player is all the more significant because the majority of team USA's Major League Soccer (MLS)-based athletes earn a pittance by the standards of their European-based peers.

For most Americans playing in the MLS, the average paycheck rarely exceeds $7,000 a month, or $84,000 a year.

For any of Europe's biggest stars, an $800,000 pay cheque could be a month's work, especially if they chose to take Manchester City's billionaire owners seriously.

That is not to say Spanish players will be saying "thanks, but no thanks" to the jackpot on offer if they win the World Cup final on July 11.

In fact, the team's acceptance of a lucrative $716,825 per player bonus had the masses back home in riotous mood.

Spain's economy is not in the best health, and such bonuses are made even more unwelcome by the recognition that Spain, unlike USA, have a genuine chance of winning the Cup-and the huge cash prize.

That was before their first match where they were stunned by a narrow 0-1 defeat at the hands of the excellent Switzerland.

The situation is no different in Italy. A $309,000 reward for defending their trophy had even one minister up in arms.

Roberto Calderoli's call for the national team stars to give back some of their winnings to help the country's economic revival only elicited mixed reactions -s ome in, some out.

But in Nigeria, where bickering over allowances is a staple, all players are in for the $4.6m prize on offer if they achieve World Cup glory. That would translate into $200,000 per player.

Meanwhile, the World Cup host nation South Africa decided to deal with basics first, providing a bonus of about $100,000 for every goal.

Suffice it to say that these figures are often a closely guarded secret. Imagine what pandemonium would erupt if Greece, economic turmoil and all, were to announce a huge bonus-or perhaps any bonus-for its team in South Africa.

Sportingintelligence.com, however, reports that England's prize, tightlipped though they might be about it, could be in the region of $600,000-a-man.

The lack of restlessness about that figure back home could be a sign fans are used to their stars harvesting insulting amounts; or the nation is so desperate for glory it is willing to sacrifice anything to motivate its stars.

Or, no Englishman is taking their team's World Cup challenge seriously, so why fuss? But, to fortify the case for bonuses: most federations incentivise banking on money from FIFA, not their countries' tax revenues. Besides, there's only one World Cup to be won, meaning bonuses are great prizes only one team can win.