WHY HAVE NONE OF OUR MOST WEALTHY STARS DONATED TO MATA’S CHARITY?
It is a measure of the gulf between the Premier League’s fabulously wealthy stars and those existing way beneath them that a mere one per cent of the division’s average salary is enough money to get 500 of the most deprived children back on track.
the average top-flight salary was £2,450,201 when the numbers were last crunched, so we are talking about £24,502 — the price of 10 pairs of the Cartier diamond hoop earrings Paul Pogba was wearing in a photo- shoot in
Esquire magazine last month. it goes without saying that you don’t miss that kind of money, when even stoke City are paying an average of £1.89million a year and Crystal Palace £1.96m. that’s why Manchester United’s Juan Mata was confident when, two months ago, he asked players to commit one per cent of their wages to the new Common Goal project, aimed at helping underprivileged young people around the world.
the response from Premier League players — whose clubs have spent this week fighting over who gets most from international tV rights — has been pitiful; a deafening and quite excruciating silence.
to date, not a single player from the division which pays the highest wages in football has officially signed up to Common Goal.
there was talk about several of Mata’s Manchester United teammates contributing, with their average salary being £ 5.77m, according to the Global salaries survey. Nothing has materialised.
Sportsmail understands that just one Premier League player has made a commitment to Common Goal. He is not English and not from United. Premier League stars were conspicuous by their absence again yesterday as Germany’s former Arsenal winger serge Gnabry — currently on loan with Bundesliga high flyers Hoffenheim — became the sixth and youngest player to back Mata’s initiative.
Gnabry joins fellow German Mats Hummels, Us women’s players Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe, Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini and Mata himself.
it is Chiellini whose contribution to the cause has been the most striking so far. the email the 33-year-old italian sent to the charity displayed his modesty and lack of affectation.
‘i’m not interested in advertising,’ Chiellini told Common Goal. ‘i want only to support a brilliant project. sorry about my English. i try to make the best as possible. i wait for your answer about complete the registration. Bye, Giorgio.’
Mata is another who carries his stardom without ego. He doesn’t look down on those who happen not to occupy the gilded cage. these are the characteristics which have made the spaniard so popular at United and Chelsea.
Yet he seems unable to persuade his fellow Premier League players to give up that one per cent to Common Goal, a creation of the streetfootballworld charity which, over 15 years, has helped 125 organisations in 80 countries (including the UK, where many homeless people have been given financial support).
Neither clubs nor the Premier League have expressed support. if nothing else, this is their chance to address the impression that the so- called people’s game is dislocated from the people and afloat on a tide of money. this is the year when Sportsmail revealed that Pogba’s agent pocketed £ 41.39m from the player’s £89.3m transfer from Juventus.
some players may argue they give through their own causes and foundations, though Common Goal pools resources and, through links with aid organisations, seems far better able to make a difference.
Mata spoke in the video which accompanied the launch of his initiative about ‘another world which exists outside of ours’. it is not all about ‘winning or raising trophies,’ the 29-year-old said. ‘it is a small commitment that drives big change.’
those working with him have been pleasantly surprised by the way supporters and media have responded to his call for help. ‘We’ve had 1,000 headlines,’ said a source. ‘there’s been a real lack of cynicism. People have told us it has made them proud of their sport again.’ if only the players saw it that way. it took a 22-yearold to comprehend the huge value of a moderate gesture.