Soccer Players To Be Hit by France's 75 Percent Tax

Their enthusiasm will certainly continue, undiminished

Paris St. Germain, France's richest soccer club, will have more on its agenda than controlling Lionel Messi when it takes on Barcelona, the world's best team, tonight.

PSG's Qatari owners also have the tax man to think about. After conflicting messages by government officials, Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault's office issued a statement today confirming that a 75 percent surcharge on salaries above 1 million euros ($1.3 million) will apply to soccer clubs.

"This new tax will cost first-division teams 82 million euros," France's Football League said in a statement. "With these crazy labor costs, France will lose its best players, our clubs will see their competitiveness in Europe decline, and the government will lose its best taxpayers."