A ten-year football contract appears to contradict one of the industry’s oldest assumptions: once a player receives long-term financial security, his motivation may decline.
Erling Haaland is not an ordinary case.
His agent, Rafaela Pimenta, says the Manchester City striker possesses the personality required to make such an exceptional commitment work.
Discussing the deal during her High Performance podcast interview, Pimenta explained that the agreement was negotiated as a ten-year project, although the time spent completing it meant the announced extension covered approximately nine and a half additional years.
For Pimenta, the key issue was not simply the contract’s length or financial value. It was whether Haaland’s internal motivation would survive the security it provided.
A ten-year deal is not suitable for every player
Pimenta was clear that she would reject a similar proposal for certain clients, including some outstanding footballers.
This is because a contract cannot be assessed separately from the person signing it. One player may interpret long-term security as a platform for greater success. Another may gradually lose the urgency that helped him reach the highest level.
The agent’s responsibility is therefore not to obtain the longest possible contract in every situation. It is to understand what kind of agreement will help the individual continue performing.
In Haaland’s case, Pimenta saw no reduction in ambition. Whether he has one year or ten years remaining, she says, his immediate concern is the season in front of him and the trophies he wants to win.
That makes the deal a reflection of his mentality rather than simply an unusual commercial arrangement.
Protecting motivation without creating a “golden cage”
Long agreements also create risk for players.
A footballer may develop beyond the level of the original contract. The club’s sporting direction can change. A coach may leave, or the relationship between player and employer may deteriorate.
Pimenta warned that a player should not feel trapped in a “golden cage”. Financial security has limited value if the agreement eventually prevents the player from making the right sporting decision.
A successful long-term contract must provide stability while preserving the sense that both sides are continuing the relationship by choice.
The precise mechanisms within Haaland’s contract remain private. The wider principle, however, applies throughout player representation: duration alone does not determine whether a deal is good. The structure must fit the player, the club and their shared project.
Haaland’s performance environment
Pimenta’s description of Haaland also offers an insight into how elite players organise their lives.
He understands what he should eat and when he needs to rest. He protects his peace of mind and carefully controls access to his inner circle. Some people are trusted friends; others remain acquaintances.
These decisions help remove distractions and allow him to concentrate on football and family.
Support staff can play an important part in that environment. A chef, driver, physiotherapist or nutritionist should not automatically be seen as an extravagance. If the service gives the footballer more recovery time, reduces mental clutter or supports better physical preparation, it can contribute directly to performance.
For example, time spent driving between home and training may be insignificant for most people. For an elite athlete with a tightly managed schedule, reducing that journey can create extra time to rest.
The value of a performance structure depends on how it is used. Its purpose should be to free the player to focus on the work only he can do.
What elite footballers have in common
After decades around leading players, Pimenta believes the best share recognisable characteristics.
They are highly focused and think about football constantly. They take care of their bodies and minds, respect recovery and remove influences that undermine their performance.
They are also unusually attentive to mistakes.
An elite player may complete ten excellent passes but continue thinking about the one that failed. This is not because he is unaware of his ability. He knows he is good, but good performance is not enough to satisfy him.
The challenge is to turn that dissatisfaction into learning without allowing it to become destructive obsession.
Pimenta recognised the same tendency in herself. After completing a successful negotiation, she may continue analysing a single clause or sentence she believes could have been improved. The point is not to erase the experience but to use it in the next negotiation.
High performers preserve lessons that other people might dismiss once the result has been celebrated.
Certainty for the club and the wider industry
Haaland’s contract also benefits Manchester City.
It tells supporters that a defining player is part of the club’s long-term identity. Teammates and potential signings have greater clarity about the sporting project. Sponsors, broadcasters and the Premier League know that one of the game’s most recognisable players is committed to the competition.
In an increasingly complicated football industry, that certainty carries significant value.
But the same strategy would not work for every client. Pimenta used young Mexican midfielder Gilberto Mora as a contrasting example. A teenager who has not yet lived or played in Europe should not necessarily be asked to identify one club as his home for the next decade.
The correct project changes according to the player’s age, experience and personality.
That is the central lesson from Haaland’s agreement. Great representation does not impose a standard career plan on every footballer. It understands the person well enough to recognise when an unconventional decision is exactly the right one.
Watch Rafaela Pimenta discuss Haaland, elite performance and the future of football in her complete High Performance podcast interview, and explore her clients and career in the Rafaela Pimenta profile on FootballAgencies.com.
