What Do Players Get for Winning the World Cup?

By winning the World Cup, players achieve fame, immortality, and an unassailable spot in the pantheon of their nation's sporting heroes. But what do they actually win? Immortality is nice and all, but it doesn't keep strudel on the table.

Every World Cup, FIFA designates a portion of their total revenue earned from TV deals, sponsorship rights, and other streams for the participating nations' football federations. (For a more comprehensive and enraging look at how FIFA handles their finances, check out this clip from Last Week Tonight With John Oliver).

Of the estimated $4.5 billion FIFA made on Brasil 2014, around $400 million was set aside for the various federations. From there, each football federation can do what they please with it, but player compensation is usually negotiated ahead of time. The Ghanaian team threatened to strike mid-tournament unless they got their promised wages, and some $3 million in cash had to be flown via private jet to Brazil before their final group stage game. According to IBN, Germany agreed to pay each member of the 23-man squad a 300,000 euro (about $408,000) bonus if they won the World Cup.

Not bad for one month's work.

One prize Germany won't be allowed to take home with them is the actual trophy. Because it's a magnet for thieves, the winning team only gets a replica.

After it is passed around, kissed, and hoisted into the air by each player, the famous trophy is locked away and eventually engraved with the triumphant nation's name. According to Yahoo!, there is only space for three more winners' names after Germany's is etched onto the gold. 2030's winners may be celebrating with a new trophy — or one with an oblong and extended base.