During the 2010 FIFA world cup in South Africa, the French national football (soccer) team came up short and could not get past the first round after finishing 2nd in the previous world cup (2006). They lost to teams such as South Africa, Mexico or Uruguay while having a star-studded team with players playing for the biggest teams in the world. This disappointment bring up the question of whether these players were overpaid or not in which everyone from the fans to the journalists all the way to the politicians joined with a lot of passion. Many French ministers stated that the players should give back the money they got paid because they did not give a good image for their country. The amount of money that these players make can be outrageous if they are compared to what 95 percent of the French population is making but the question is not as simple as it seems. There are ethical reasons that can make an argument for both people who think they are overpaid, and those who think not. .
The median household income in the United States of America is just over $54.000 per year, an above average car-salesman can make up to $70.000 per year plus bonus, a lawyer with 11+ years of experience makes an average of $170.000 per year and the highest paid type of doctor averages just over $500.000 per year. On the other hand, for the 2010-2011 season, the average income for an NFL player is $1.9million per year, for an NHL player it is $2.4million per year, for an MLB player it is $3.34million per year and for an NBA player it is $5.15million per year. Military related jobs can go from $15.000 to $94.000 per year (very high grade, 20+years of experience etc). If we only take into consideration the utility that a job has for a society then it is obvious that a basketball player should not earn more than a teacher, a fireman or a police officer. Someone who spends or sacrifices his life for the well-being of his country has to earn more than someone who knows how to put a ball into a basket.
