Does Messi's $900 mn insurance dictate his match calendar? Yes

Did you know that Lionel Messi’s left foot is insured for a whopping $900 million (Rs 8150 crore approx)? Or that Cristiano Ronaldo’s legs are insured for $144 million? Or that in his peak years, David Beckham’s entire body was insured for $195 million? But there’s a catch. The insurance is valid only if the footballers play official FIFA-recognised matches or games commissioned by their respective clubs. So, the next time you rue the fact that your favourite footballers don’t play friendly or invitation matches, you know what to blame – their contracts and insurers.

Financial downside > Sporting upside

Top players often avoid playing non-official friendlies or exhibition matches during PR tours because insurance cover is limited or unclear, and the financial downside of an injury far outweighs any sporting upside. FIFA’s Club Protection Programme (CPP) only covers injuries during official international matches within the FIFA calendar. Exhibition or promotional matches played during overseas tours often fall outside this protection. Club insurance policies may also exclude non-competitive or unsanctioned matches, unless explicitly endorsed.

High endurance, high insurance athletes

Lionel Messi: $900 mn for his left foot

Cristiano Ronaldo: $144 mn for his legs

David Beckham: $195 mn for his body

LeBron James: $100 mn for his athletic prowess

Tom Brady: $100 mn for his throwing arm

Maria Sharapova: $70 mn for her body

Fernando Alonso: $50 mn for his thumbs

Usian Bolt: $10 mn for his legs

Michael Jordan’s ‘Love of the game’ clause: An exception

In the late 90s, Chicago Bulls’ head coach Doug Collins told his star basketball player Michael Jordan one summer that he was not permitted to participate in competitive basketball throughout the offseason. Jordan, in his 2009 Hall of Fame speech recalled, “He said, ‘Well, you’re a part of the organisation and the organisation said you can’t play in the summertime’ and I said, ‘Doug, you haven’t read the fine print in my contract. In my contract, I have the ‘Love of the Game’ clause. That means I can play anytime I want, any place I want.” That said, such exceptions are rare given the risk involved.

Players who have played a match in India

Lionel Messi: While his recent visit was a promotional tour, Leo was part of the Argentina vs Venezuela friendly game in Kolkata backin 2011

Pele: Played in the Cosmos vs Mohun Bagan exhibition match in 1977

Diego Maradona: Played exhibition matches in 2008 and 2017

Oliver Kahn: Played his farewell game for Bayern Munich vs Mohun Bagan in Kolkata in 2008

Ronaldinho: Played an exhibition match in Chennai with other Brazil greats earlier this year

Players who visited India but didn’t play a match include David Beckham and Zinedine Zidane.

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