Spanish government working on decree to credit 1970s footballers’ pensions | OneFootball

El Ministerio de Inclusión, Seguridad Social y Migraciones is drafting a royal decree to correct the anomaly that left professional footballers from the 1970s and earlier without Social Security years counted, as they paid into the Mutualidad de Futbolistas Profesionales.

The move aligns with the wider ‘pasarela’ planned for other professional athletes whose Social Security affiliation arrived only in the 1990s, so their sporting years can be recognised in pension calculations. According to El Economista, Social Security estimates the cost at 1.6 million euros, and the Government wants the Asociación de Futbolistas Españolas, AFE, to meet it on behalf of those affected, a proposal still under negotiation.

Footballers joined Social Security in 1980, initially under a special regime for some, and from 1986 universally under the general regime. Other athletes entered much later, so the two cases differ.

As an example, a player who was professional between 1970 and 1985 and is now 76 has only five of those years recognised for pension purposes. Anyone who retired before 1980 has none recorded as a professional footballer.

AFE has identified 93 footballers, all men, who could benefit and are considered vulnerable. The measure targets those in genuine need rather than former stars in privileged positions.

Of those 93, 25 do not receive a pension at all. For 40 players, approval would raise annual payments by between 51 and 13,000 euros.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo