What would top soccer players be worth in Adam Smith’s barter economy?

Oscar: An oil tanker

Oscar made the financially sensible choice to go to China. Shanghai SIPG were willing to pay him an obscene £400,000 a week. While many fans were disappointed that he decided to chase cash instead of competition, it’s hard to blame him. Lots of people move to less challenging positions to make more money. Think of all the lawyers that choose to become corporate attorneys instead of public defenders, for example.

It was odd, however, to see a soccer player as young as 25 make that kind of choice. We usually see players follow the money after they’re no longer able to compete at a high level. Fellow Brazilian Hulk and David Beckham stand out among that group.

Oscar is in his physical prime, so it’s very weird to see him run off to a softer league. It won’t benefit him in the long run, either. Should he ever want to return to one of the top leagues, he won’t have a recent track record to prove that he’s capable of playing at that level.

That’s why Oscar is worth an oil tanker. On the surface, they’re both valuable. But the parallels go deeper.

Oil is not a long-term solution. It’s just not a renewable resource. Eventually, it will run out. Other fuels will have to be integrated into our society. That’s not to mention that burning it is terrible for air quality and the environment.

Oscar is similarly short-sighted. He got paid a lot in China not because he was good, but because he was a big name they could add to their league. But he can’t stay famous in China. It’s too far away from Europe and the quality of competition is too low for Oscar to remain a household name. Once he stops being famous, China won’t want him. Then he’ll make pennies on the dollar if he returns to Europe because those teams won’t be convinced he’s still worth what he once was.