7 Most Astonishing Secret Football Contract Clauses Ever

Secret clauses form part of any serious football contract negotiations. While the general public will receive an outline of the players' deal, there are a number of details that remain hidden from plain sight. Some of the secret clauses which have been 'leaked' into the public domain over the years have raised more than a few eyebrows.

They say the truth is often stranger than fiction, and that's absolutely the case when it comes to footballer's big-money contracts. Often they reveal a more bizarre side to the players and clubs in question - whether it be paranoia or financial prudence on the side of both the players and the clubs.

Have you heard the one about a certain superstar's housekeeper taking the player's secrets to the grave with them? How about the player who wasn't allowed to wear red boots, lest he upset half a city? These clauses might sound ridiculous - and they are - but they are very real. And they are just the tip of the iceberg.

Football cards are a big business today and Italian company Panini published its first FIFA World Cup sticker album for the 1970 World Cup. Since then, collecting and trading stickers has become part of the whole World Cup experience, especially for the younger fans worldwide. As recently as 2017, a 1970 World Cup Panini sticker album signed by the legendary Pelé sold for a record 10,450 pounds.

Panini are the biggest name in the market, and pay huge sums of money to superstars like Neymar and Ronaldo. Merely picking up a pen and signing some cards ensures the superstars' bulging bank balances become even bigger.

Panini America guaranteed Brazilian Neymar 50,000 dollars for his signature on the much sought after collector's items. That worked out at 83 dollars per signature . Cristiano Ronaldo makes over three times that figure however, as he pockets 175,000 dollars for the signature of 1,000 cards which also includes four editions of collectors' items.