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[2021-05-19 | Leverkusen Performance Centre , Leverkusen| 13:35 CET]
YEARLY PERFORMANCE ESCALATORS:
- League title: £2M/year
- UCL win: £4M/year
- Top 5 finish (major awards): £1.5M/year
- Ballon d’Or win: £5M/year
"So if I win the league again next season, I get an extra £2 million?" Rakim asked, reading over her shoulder.
"Correct. And it stacks. Win the league and the Champions League? That’s £6 million on top of your base. Finish in the top five in Ballon d’Or voting? Another £1.5 million."
Rakim let out a low whistle. "This could get ridiculous."
"That’s the point," Lisa said. "You keep performing, and the money keeps growing. But there’s more—international tournants." She flipped to another page.
INTERNATIONAL TOURNANT BONUSES:
- £10,000 per goal (World Cup/Euros)
- Knockouts: £1.5M
- Semi-final: £2.5M
- Final: £4M
- Winner: £8M
"Wait, so if Germany wins the Euros and I score, like, five goals—"
"You’d make £50,000 in goal bonuses, plus £8 million for winning, plus the progression bonuses along the way," Lisa calculated. "That’s over £16 million just from one tournant."
Rakim stared at the numbers. "That’s... insane."
"That’s your market value," Lisa said simply. "Now, the dia and campaign clause. Porsche includes one campaign per year in your base salary, along with optional appearances at their events during the offseason. Anything beyond that—special launches, new dia campaigns for new models, whatever they have to pay you extra."
"So they can’t just work like a dog?"
"Exactly, and they can’t interfere with your football schedule. No campaigns during match weeks, training camps, or recovery periods. If they want you for a shoot, they work around your calendar." She paused for a second before
"I like that," Rakim said, nodding approvingly.
"You should. I fought for it," Lisa said. "Now, the vehicle allocation."
Rakim perked up imdiately. "The cars?"
"Two Porsches per year, full ownership transferred to your LLC," Lisa began. "Porsche agreed to cover the insurance, which they can write off as a business expense."
"So I get two free Porsches every year?"
"Free is a stretch," Lisa said. "You’re earning them through the endorsent. But yes, functionally, two new Porsches annually for five years. That’s ten cars."
.
.
.
Rakim was quiet for a mont, staring at the contract. "So if everything goes perfectly, if I win the World Cup, keep scoring, win trophies, and hit all the escalators, how much is this contract worth?"
His mother smiled. "Conservatively? Over £100 million across five years. If you win the Ballon d’Or, dominate international tournants, and the signature line sells well? It could exceed £150 million."
"(Wheet), £150 million," Rakim repeated, the number realising just how far his thought of being sponsored by a car brand had spiralled. "Maybe you should beco a full-ti agent mom because this deal is unreal."
"Hahah, no thank you, it’s too stressful dealing with you, and May alone, once in a while, if I had more clients, I would lose all my hair." She amusidly waved off. "I take it you’re happy with the deal, then, right?"
"Yes, I couldn’t ask for more," he replied, not even finding a single thing to comnt on. "Then, when is the signing ceremony?"
"I asked for a day off from the club on the weekend we will go down then to do the ceremony with the Porsche chairman." She said, closing the contract. "I’ll ask Uncle William to give the contract a once-over just to be sure, and we will proceed. For now, think of the two cars you would like for your first year."
~~~
[2021-05-19 | Cheney Stadium, Seattle, USA | 13:00 PDT]
Across the Atlantic Ocean, on the opposite side of the world, a different story was beginning. Roughly 6,000 fans filled the stands around Cheney Stadium, watching the Royals clash against their team. They had started off great with Bethany Balcer finding the net early in the 10th minute following a through ball from Jess Fishlock.
However, things quickly collapsed as the Royals found their footing, launching a quick counter in the 37th. Despite the goal being disallowed for offside, the players were inspired to do more. They missed their chance for the equaliser in the 40th minute when Lauren Barnes took down their winger at the side of the box.
The referee’s whistle blew sharply, her arm extending toward the spot of the foul, a yellow card coming out right away. Barnes protested briefly but knew it was deserved, as she’d clipped the attacker’s ankle just as she was cutting inside. Monts later, the stadium held its breath as Rodriguez stepped back, taking her run-up.
She struck it cleanly, curling it inch-perfect around the wall toward the top right corner. Bouhaddi got a read on it and dove full stretch, but the ball had too much curve and speed, blitzing around her hands. "And the Royals have their equaliser!" the stadium announcer called out to the roar of travelling fans. "Amy Rodriguez from the free kick!"
[40’ - OL Reign 1-1 Utah Royals SC]
[57’]
Both teams entered the second half with a mission and a plan to accomplish it, but only one side managed to implent it. The reigns started well, launching a variety of attacks early, catching the away side flat-footed. However, it was execution that let them down, as they hit the woodwork 3 tis, were blocked twice, and just missed threatening the goal entirely 4 tis in just 12 minutes of the second half.
Worse yet, they had picked up a few yellow cards for unsportsmanlike behaviours, such as taking a player out with a late slide tackle. Head coach Laura Harvey was having a headache as no matter how much she tried to get her girls to calm down, it was to no avail. Just as she thought she would need to make a substitution, the worst situation occurred.
The Royal defence launched a long ball from the back, finding forward Tziarra King, who drifted left. The striker stretched out her boot, deftly trapping the ball before using her body to circumvent her defender, turning inward. Dribbling forward to the edge of the box absorbed the shoulder check of the nearby defender and slipped the ball into the centre of the box.
Rodriguez pierced into the box, leaving her marker a step behind, hitting the ball for the first ti. Goalkeeper Bouhaddi never had a chance to get a hold of it as it was violently blown past him, piercing the back of the net. The travelling Utah Royals supporters erupted, their section of the stadium suddenly the loudest corner in Cheney.
"Amy Rodriguez with her second of the match!" the stadium announcer called out, though the ho crowd’s groans nearly drowned out the words. "Utah Royals take the lead!"
[63’ - OL Reign 1-2 Utah Royals SC]
On the Reign sideline, Laura Harvey stood up in frustration, visible on her face. She turned to her assistant coach, Danielle Foxhoven, who stood nearby with a clipboard. "We need to change things up; they’re sitting too deep waiting to counter."
Foxhoven nodded, already knowing where this was going. "You’re thinking of Akari?"
"Hmm," Harvey confird, glancing down the pitch, watching where the team’s youngest player, at 18, ward up with so of her teammates. Her dark hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail, standing at 5’7, one of the smallest in the squad.
Akari Jones had been with the first team for six weeks now, training with the squad after turning pro at eighteen rather than taking a college scholarship. She had been patiently waiting for her call-up to play, performing exceptionally in training, and would finally get her chance.
"Jones!" Harvey called out.
Akari’s head snapped up imdiately, eyes wide. "Coach?"
"Gett ready, you’re going in." For a split second, Akari froze, then she printed over so fast it looked like she would be better suited for track and field rather than football. "Aren’t you for getting sothing?"
"Huh, what?" She tilted her head in confusion, only a second later, realising she was still wearing the tracksuit.
"Oh, sorry," she quickly apologised, then went back to the bench to take it off.
"Will she be okay?" Danielle asked, looking genuinely worried.
"She will do fine," Harvey said, turning her attention back to the field where the royals had just won a free kick outside their box again, but luckily it was close to the flank, making it hard to go direct.
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TO BE CONTINUED...
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