By The Numbers: What Determines Professional Soccer Contracts At the Highest Level

This research examines the relationship between player value and salary at the highest level of professional soccer, both within and across Europe’s top leagues.This study examines cross-league valuation of players within the same position by analyzing performance and contract data from the last full season (2023-2024) across the top 5 professional European men’s soccer leagues. Furthermore, It also tests for cross-league differences in player salaries and compares each position’s share of total payroll. The methodology entails building detailed datasets–compiled of player attributes, performance data, and salary information–and applying correlation analysis, significance testing, and payroll allocation in order to uncover each league’s demands and preferences for talent at each position, as well as what truly determines a player’s salary. Results show that, across the Big Five, distinct position-specific attributes are associated with higher salaries. Moreover, each league in the top 5 European leagues has their own preferences at each position largely due to their distinct playstyle; players with the qualities that a league prefers will also earn larger salaries.