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As many parents strive to watch their kids succeed in everything they do, there's nothing better than getting a little too excited about your offspring playing a sport. Not only is having your child play a sport a great way to keep them active and socialize with other kids, but have you ever thought about the potential income your child can bring in from kicking a ball?
The top 50 athletes in the world combined make nearly $2.8 billion a year. If that does not persuade you to sign your kid up for your local intramural league, then maybe this will.
Lionel Messi’s contract was revealed last summer and is worth $674 million. Now, money is not the only reason these athletes do what they do day in and day out, but it is for sure a big part, as it's their job. Not to mention the big endorsements that add a little extra to their salary. Needless to say, Messi is more than well off and others aspire to achieve close to what he has.
As parents see how much revenue an athlete makes by playing their sport, it may increase the amount of young ballers. One dad that found out Messi made $674 million in just four years reacted just as any parent of an athlete would. His son will have a ball glued to his foot forever.
Soccer is one of the top paying sports as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo rank second and third on the highest paid athletes list of 2021. UFC fighter Conor McGregor holds the number one spot after making $180 million. Star tennis player Naomi Osaka, 23, ranks number 12 — representing female athletes — making $60 million.
Needless to say, putting your child into a sport at a young age is not the worst idea because one day they might be able to pay you back for all of the tournaments, training and travel costs. Just don't be one of those parents that ruins the game for your child. At the end of the day, they should be having fun and they should be the ones that want to kick around the backyard and put in the extra work. Be supportive and who knows, your child could be the next Lionel Messi.
