Football
Stephan Uersfeld, Germany correspondent 6y

Germany stars will get €350k bonuses for defending World Cup

Germany's players will earn bonuses of €350,000 if they become the first team to defend the World Cup since Brazil did so in 1962.

As in previous tournaments, Germany players will not receive any bonuses until the Nationalmannschaft reach the quarterfinals, the German FA (DFB) announced.

But should they defend the title they won in Brazil in 2014, each squad member will receive a bonus of €350,000, up €50,000 from the last World Cup.

Defeat in the final would see each player earn €200,000, a third-place finish would be rewarded with €150,000, and a semifinal appearance with €125,000, while a quarterfinal defeat would bring €75,000.

"It's a huge motivation for our players to, for the first time in the history of German football, defend a World Cup title," president Reinhard Grindel told the official DFB website.

"That would be a title for eternity, and definitely worth a special bonus. But you can feel that the team has put the sporting challenge, and not the economic side, first."

Germany general manager Oliver Bierhoff said it was "a good signal" that the players "accept the performance principle, like they have done in the past."

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