"Let's have some resilient fun" shows some important topics in a more relaxed and joyful way. After all, humour is quoted as a desirable characteristic of resilient individuals like us!
What is the Cost of the French Fries?
A former Polish football national team player, Wojciech Kowalczyk, recently claimed:
"Wojciech Szczesny plays for french fries in Barcelona, and he is not sure whether Szczesny will continue to play for french fries next year"
Out of curiosity, I checked the cost of these “french fries,” and it appears to be 3 million euro per year.
I have previously written about the remarkable disparity between the earnings of top entertainers and those in traditionally respected professions, such as doctors, nurses, teachers or police officers. In that analysis, I introduced the concept of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappé Equivalents—a metric showing how many professionals could be hired for the salary of football superstars.
Let’s apply the same method to Wojciech Szczęsny’s “French fries salary.” This time, we’ll compare Spain and Poland. The numbers, as you’ll see in the table below, are striking.
With Szczesny’s annual earnings:
Spain could employ 35 doctors or 143 of the lowest-paid police officers.
Poland could employ 61 doctors or 231 police officers.
While these figures don’t match the astronomical earnings of Ronaldo or Mbappé, they’re still impressive for what’s been described as a “French fries salary.”
The Bigger Question: What Do We Truly Value?
It’s fascinating—and concerning—that society loudly praises professions essential to public well-being while rewarding entertainers disproportionately higher. Only doctors in this group earn above-average wages, yet it still takes more than sixty of them in Poland to match Szczesny’s “French Fries.”
People often complain about the high cost of public services, yet few question the price of a football match or a cinema ticket.
So, why do sports stars earn so much?
The answer lies in market dynamics. Sports salaries are fueled by massive revenues from television rights, sponsorship deals, and a global fan base. In contrast, crucial public service roles depend on government or institutional budgets, which are often limited. This creates a striking contrast between what society claims to value and what it actually rewards.The reason behind these salaries lies in the economics of entertainment. Football generates massive revenues through television rights, sponsorships, and a devoted global fan base. In contrast, critical public service roles rely on government or institutional funding, which is often constrained.
Final Thoughts (and a Friendly Message to All Involved)
To Wojciech Kowalczyk: Reflect on what truly matters in life—beyond witty remarks about “french fries.”
To Wojciech Szczesny, who was dragged into this satire through no choice of his own: Bon appétit! He'll need it if he truly plans to spend his entire salary on French fries.
To everyone else: I wish you work that contributes to society and pays for quality french fries (or whatever else fuels your happiness).
And the final question: What do you think? Should society rethink how we distribute financial rewards—or is the market simply doing its job?
Disclaimer: This post is satirical. Any resemblance to actual management techniques is purely coincidental and frankly, a bit concerning.
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References and Notes
World Salaries - salary benchmarks for over 200 countries
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