If you thought you couldn’t put a price on Robbie Brady’s goal, you’d be dead wrong.
With five minutes left in normal time, the Republic of Ireland were looking set for an early flight home from Euro 2016. The sea of green in the enclosed stadium were screaming their support – hoping, praying even, that the Boys In Green could do what few people expected of them – defeat the group leaders.
Then, after missing a glorious opportunity to become Ireland’s hero minutes earlier, Wes Hoolahan played an outrageous cross to find Robbie Brady storming into the Italian box. With only the keeper left to beat, the Norwich man headed it past Salvatore Sirigu causing the fans to erupt with unadulterated joy.
A magical moment, yes, but the goal itself wasn’t priceless.
There was a considerable increase in prize money at Euro 2016 compared to past tournaments. The 24 national teams who qualified will share a total of €301m (£230m) compared to the €196m (£150m) distributed in Poland and Ukraine four years ago and the €184m (£141m) at Euro 2008.
All 24 teams will receive a participating fee of €8m (£6.12m). However, each team earns an extra €1m(£770,000) for winning a group game and €500,000 (£380,000) for a draw – as well as another €1.5m (£1.15m) for making it to the round of 16.
This means that the monetary value attached to Brady’s goal is €2.5m (£1.91m) for the Football Association of Ireland. But to him, his teammates and the Irish people, it was absolutely priceless.
