Manchester United have won their first trophy since 2017 but will have earned just £100,000 in prize money for their endeavours.
First-half goals from star midfielder Casemiro and the unstoppable Marcus Rashford, with the help of a heavy deflection off Sven Botman, broke Newcastle United’s hearts with Eddie Howe’s team banking only £50,000 for their efforts.
That will barely cover half a week’s wage for one of their highest earners as the secondary domestic knockout competition’s financial value was placed in stark contrast with what can be banked elsewhere. But the clubs will at least have split the gate receipts at Wembley, where 87,306 fans had been in attendance.
Nottingham Forest and Southampton, who lost the two-legged semi-finals, made £25,000 each.
Every other participant, including the four beaten quarter-finalists, failed to make a penny in prize money - though the same approach to gate receipts exists across all rounds. The competition’s lack of financial value is put into even greater context by what both finalists will make if they seal top-four finishes in the league.
Reaching the Champions League is worth more than £50m before a ball is kicked and without factoring in UEFA’s solidarity payments from their broadcasting pool.
Champions League clubs get about £13.2m from reaching the competition with domestic prize money for finishing in third spot £39.6m and fourth £37.4m.
Man United are sitting comfortably in third while Newcastle trail Spurs by four points with two games in hand.
“It’s an amazing feeling, we’ve been searching for this moment,” captain Bruno Fernandes told Sky Sports at full time before United embarked on their lap of honour and Newcastle made the long walk up the stairs to get their runners-up medals.
“Finally we get our trophy. We deserved it. But now we want more. This is not enough for this club. We want more, we need more. It’s about winning trophies. We did it. I’m satisfied now I have my trophy but I want more.”
Fernandes went on to lift the trophy along with club captain Harry Maguire, who came off the bench in the final minutes for Rashford as Erik ten Hag's side comfortably closed out their win.
