Lucy Bronze says that 99.9% of female players can’t afford to retire and live off their earnings, and it’s caused quite the reaction online.
The 33 year old says that only the top 1% of players, if they manage their finances wisely and lead a modest lifestyle, have the potential to retire comfortably on their football earnings alone.
She mentioned her personal experience, noting that she has been “smart with my money” and could live off her investments post-retirement, but emphasised that this is not the reality for the vast majority.
Bronze’s comments bring attention to the financial challenges faced by female footballers, suggesting that most need to consider their careers beyond football for financial security.
England footballer Lucy Bronze has told Sky News that 99.9% of female players couldn’t afford to retire and live off their earnings
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— Sky News (@SkyNews) November 9, 2024
When asked if a female player can afford to retire, Bronze said, per Sky News: “The 1% probably can. If you’re smart with your money and live a certain kind of lifestyle, then there’s potential.
“I don’t live a crazy lifestyle with crazy cars or houses. So I could retire and live on my investments.
“I’ve been smart with my money, I’ve paid off student loans throughout my career.
“I know I’ve been successful in teams with a lot of money… I’m probably in that top per cent.
“Probably 99.9% of women’s players… you have to think about life after football.”
‘We feel very empowered.’ 💪
England’s Lucy Bronze speaks out on pay issues within the women’s game. 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/n5FuG7i3RS
— Sky Sports WSL (@SkySportsWSL) July 19, 2023
This comes following comments from England captain Steph Houghton, who said to the BBC that she was only paid £4,000 a year at Arsenal when regarded one of the best female centre-backs in 2012.
Bonuses and extra work as a part‑time coach and club ambassador lifted that figure to £9,000.
“I was living in London, although I was fortunate that the club paid for the apartment,” Houghton, who also made 121 appearances for England and captained her country from 2014 to 2021, told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast.
“At the same time, to live off that and try and save for a house, simple things we all do as human beings, it was quite tough to do.”
She deiced to retire from playing at the end of last season, and has already been credited with helping to change the course of women’s professional football.
As per her autobiography Leading From The Back, she reveals she struggled when fighting for better pay.
“I came from the north-east. My mum and dad did not have much money and I’m from a working class family,” Houghton told BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour.
“I came from a pit village [South Hetton], so for me money was never really a driving factor.
“But I had the opportunity to move to Arsenal. I wanted to go there and win trophies, I wanted to establish myself in the England set-up and play with the best players.”
Houghton, who signed for Arsenal in 2010, became more and more focused on standing up for herself when it came to re-negotiating her contract.
“To be going in there by myself to speak about something was tough because the guy that I was speaking to, Vic Akers, who is an absolute legend in the women’s game, to have that conversation with someone who has brought you to the club was tough,” she added.
“It was scary and it was daunting. I would have been only 22, 23 then, so quite young in terms of not that much experience.
“But I had to stand up for myself.”
Twitter users reacted as Lucy Bronze says 99.9% of female players can’t afford to retire and live off their earnings…
@OddAlerts: Wages are constantly on the rise in the women’s game as it grows and attracts bigger sponsors and more viewership. However, you can’t go from 0 to 1 overnight. It’s a slow process. Barclays renewed their multi-year sponsorship of the WSL recently and the whole deal was worth £45m. That’s up £30m from the previous deal, but still lower than your average Premier League signing.
@BoyBlue_Orig: The also have a tv contract worth £65 million over 5 years whilst the men’s is worth almost 7 billion over 4 years. The wages of women are actually bigger a percentage of revenue then the mens
@nic_taylor91: So Danny dyer should be on the same money per episode of eastenders as Jennifer Anniston got for friends? Got it 👍🏽
@cfcjoe1888_: you earn a wage based off what revenue you bring in, i cannot actually believe this same conversation is still going on. if you’re that unhappy about it, go and find an office job 👍🏻
@PapaPincus: 99.9% of people in the country couldn’t afford to retire & live off their earnings. You get free clothes, free travel, free food, free accommodation. 99.9% of people don’t. Leave off.
@mufccopley: Generate the money from ticket sales, marketing, sponsors etc.. get more income.. it’s as simple as that
@radcliffe78: Nobody i know can afford to retire in their 30s, so what’s your point?
@FreeBearly: Then get a different job? You’re playing football, not working in a coal mine.
@SparkySizzler69: Hardly surprising , it’s never going to be as popular as mens football . Tried a few times to watch it but the standard is just so weak. Can’t bear to watch it now , part time non-league players are miles ahead of female footballers.
@WestHamViews09: 99.9% of the population of the entire world can’t afford to retire in their 30s and live off their earnings.
@charliee1878: 99% of make footballers probably couldn’t year only really the 1% who become multi millionaires the lucky few
@WezWWF99: It’s a shame really because they put the work in on and off the pitch for a shit salary, credit to them all ⚽️ whether you’re a fan or not can’t fault the work they put in!
@steviewatson01: Like the other 99% of footballers then, who actually attract crowds that aren’t discounted. Provide a product people actually want to watch. Pitches are too big for the woman players. They can’t cover the ground as quick meaning players get far too many touches on the ball
@mrthompson81: I feel for women’s footballers. Men stopped them playing for decades, so the fact their game isn’t on par, isn’t really their doing….but to be fair, most people can’t retire at 35. Think they probably do earn more than your average worker
@wayne_lee1982: It’s true but in reality womens football as it was banned for so many years is about 40-50 years behind the men’s game in terms of money and male footballers from 70’s and 80’s likewise didn’t earn enough to retire when stopped playing
@philipslattery: So what? 99.9% of players from League One and lower can’t live off their earnings. In fact 99% of all professional players can’t live off their earnings when they retire. It’s the tiny few that earn it big. The entitlement from this is off the charts.
@steveAVFC: Is say %99 of men footballers couldn’t afford to retire either, they don’t all earn 300k a week. Lower league players don’t and its a better quality of football
@ThomasFarmer: I remember when I played at Rochdale and the club captain who’d been a pro for 25 years was studying to be an accountant in his final season. Because he knew he needed a job after retirement
@Wilko1882: That was the same story for footballers before sky turned up. They all had to get jobs after they stopped playing. Simpler days and made players more relatable to fans and it’s a huge shame that it’s not the case anymore
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