Money remains inextricably linked to conversations around the growth of women’s football and wages are no different.

Chelsea defender Lucy Bronze recently sparked discussion during an interview with Sky News after she was asked whether female footballers can afford to retire after their football career.

“The one percent probably can. If you’re smart with your money and live a certain kind of lifestyle, then there’s potential,” the 33-year-old right-back responded.

“Probably 99.9% of women’s players… you have to think about life after football.”

The statement itself is far from controversial, or even surprising. While women’s football has grown exponentially in recent years, that does not mean wages have reached the exorbitant sums we see at the top of men’s football.

Yet, Sky News’ X post promoting the story has accumulated 8.5 million views largely owing to a swell of mock outrage on the platform. Some of the comments said:

“Get a second job then. Female soccer is subsidised by the male league. Makes zero money and never will.”

“People in lower english leagues prob cant retire too, but they play at higher level than her so? Whats the problem?”

While Bronze was just providing an answer to a question she had been posed, the usual misogyny swarmed to the headline with a determination to misconstrue the comments to their own agenda.

It is an all-too-common reminder that women’s sport continues to face a barrage of people that only want to diminish the progress and support that threatens their patriarchal hold over sport.

But, away from the negative attention the quotes have received, they point to a very real issue that has bubbled away in women’s football for decades. That is, the disparity of wages across the tiers.

Bronze indicates that “the one percent” in women’s football earn enough to live off their wages for the rest of their lives. But what about the other 99%?

Of course, the ability to live off wages earned during a short career should not be used as the barometer for success for the rest of the pyramid, or even that one percent, but it does speak to an inequality within the game that is not currently being given enough attention.

It was reported during the summer that Women’s Championship club Blackburn Rovers would pay each player a salary of £9,000 for a 16-hour a week contract, in line with minimum wage. Elsewhere, much of tier three remains semi-professional.

Meanwhile, at the very top of the game, sponsorship deals and wage packages are increasing. In doing so, it widens the gap between the top performing clubs and papers the cracks of a financial structure lower down the tiers that is still struggling to establish itself.

The one percent that Bronze refers to is likely only to be found at approximately three clubs in England – Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal. 

With the wages of some of the players in these clubs bolstered by international wages and possibly personal deals with brands e.g. Alessia Russo’s partnership with sunglass brand Oakley or Lucy Bronze’s partnership with clothing brand Aligne.

All of the above receive backing from some of the richest Premier League teams and those sides have claimed nine of the 11 WSL titles won since its foundation.

Those sides that can afford to pay and attract the ‘top one percent’ will continue to monopolise success as they can attract the best players, while other clubs in the league or further down the pyramid will struggle to compete both on the pitch, and financially.

While the recent takeover of the WSL and Championship by the Women’s Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL) signals the potential for further disparity between the top two leagues and the National League, it is also a juncture that could determine a better direction for women’s football.

It allows us to ask the question: what do we want to see going forward?

It might be reasonable to expect internationals at the top of their game to earn obscene amounts, after all it would be hard to find a profession where those at the top level don’t earn vast sums.

Most footballers also don’t have the luxury of playing past their mid-thirties and so perhaps wages should be commensurate with such a reality.

Yet it shouldn’t be reasonable to view the figures wielded in men’s football as aspirational nor a sign of success. Women’s football can take its own path that does not group a one percent of top earners versus ‘the rest’.

Growth inevitably is linked to more investment and that should be celebrated, but women’s football must push now rather than later for investment that is spread across the tiers.

If not just to improve competition in the game and raise the potential of a new winner, then to ensure teams like Blackburn have firmer foundations so their players get the pay they deserve.