Four minutes loss of concentration cost Super Eagles $4m
Super Eagles of Nigeria will earn a total sum of $8 million as one of the 16 teams that never advanced beyond the group stage at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. However, it would have been more had they held on against Argentina with four minutes left of their last Group D game.
Argentina defeated Nigeria 2-1 to advance from the group ahead of the Super Eagles.
According to FIFA statement on Saturday, the world football body disclosed that the sum of $400 million will be distributed among all the 32 teams that participated in the 21st edition of the tournament.
In spite of the increment, the Nigerian side will earn the same amount of money they got in Brazil four years ago when they reached the knockout round.
For this year, the eight teams that failed at the Round of 16 will each be getting $12 million. Thus, the cost of the last four minutes of the game with Argentina cost Nigeria a loss of $4 million.
Portugal, Japan, Argentina, Colombia, among the eight teams that failed at the Round of 16 will be getting $12 million while Brazil and the other teams that were eliminated at the quarter-final stage will each get $16 million.
Belgium who won the third place on Saturday will get $22 million while England will go home with $20 million.
The champions on Sunday will go home with $38 million, $3 million more than what Germany got in Brazil four years ago.
While whoever loses the game go home with $28 million.
Prize money for 2018 FIFA World Cup
Champions – 38
Runners-up – 28
Third place – 24
Fourth place – 22
5th-8th place – 16
9th-16th place – 12
17th-32nd place – 8
Total – 358
(The Cable)