The Ministry of Inclusion and Social Security has launched a new mechanism so that former professional footballers can regularize their contributions and access a public pension more adjusted to their sporting career, resolving a historical anomaly of the system.
The measure will benefit a group of former players who began their careers before 1980, when contributions were made through the Mutualidad de Futbolistas Españoles and not within the Social Security system.
A historical problem of quotation in professional football
Until 1980, professional footballers did not contribute to the public system, which has led many of them, upon reaching retirement age, to find themselves with reduced pensions or even with difficulties accessing them for not meeting the minimum period required.
Subsequently, although they were integrated into the General Regime, the contributions prior to that change were partially excluded from the ordinary calculation, directly affecting the final amount of their benefits.
A "catwalk" to recover years of contributions
The new Royal decree will allow recognition of periods worked before 1980, provided they are accredited by the Spanish Footballers Association (AFE). This recognition will allow two scenarios.
On the one hand, recalculate existing pensions and on the other hand facilitate access to retirement for former players who do not yet meet minimum requirements. However, the right to improvement or access to the pension will be conditioned on the AFE previously making the corresponding payment to Social Security.
Cost borne by the AFE
The Government underlines that the measure will not have an economic impact on the public pension system, as AFE itself will pay the cost derived from the recognition of previous contributions.
This payment will be made through a single deposit to the General Treasury of Social Security. According to the economic report, the total amount amounts to 1.60 million euros, distributed among different beneficiaries of the program.
Thus, its impact will be uneven depending on the case. The estimated average increase amounts to 2,183 euros annually, the minimum at 51 euros per year, and the maximum could skyrocket to 12,964 euros annually.
In the case of pensioners already retired, the regulatory base will be recalculated by adding the years contributed in both systems.
The initiative comes after years of claims by the Spanish Footballers' Association (AFE), which had denounced the inequality in the treatment of historical contributions. The new mechanism seeks to correct that imbalance and ensure that former players can see their professional careers recognized within the public system.