Article by Maria Olteanu – Published Thursday, December 25, 2025 6:39 p.m. / Updated Thursday, December 25, 2025 6:49 p.m.
Cypriot journalists were surprised when they heard how much their countryman, Elias Charalambous (45 years old), earns as head coach at FCSB, the champion of Romania.
Elias Charalambous was convinced in the summer by boss Gigi Becali to extend his contract and is paid royally at the red-blue group.
Arriving in March 2023 at FCSB, the Cypriot won his second championship title with the red-blue team, and his name entered the radar of several teams in the summer. However, he chose to continue at FCSB, a team where, last season, he ended up earning over 400,000 euros.
Cypriots heard how much Charalambous was earning and reacted
“An unimaginable amount. Charalambous is definitely the highest paid Cypriot coach, and by a long way!”, noted the journalists of Cyprus Times.
He started with a salary of 5,000 euros, but the amounts increased exponentially with the performance bonuses collected.
“I finalized it with Charalambous. He said he didn't want anything for him. He said “I came with that impresario, he never takes any money”. I talked to him, I put another 50,000 euros in the contract for premieres for any group and you give the money to the impresario. Let him give a commission. I gave him that and that's it.
He has a 12,500 euro contract. And I put another 50,000 euros on him for qualification in a European group. In total, 100,000 euros as bonuses, for him and the manager. Last year, he took about 400,000 euros”, said Gigi Becali, in the summer, after reaching an agreement regarding the extension of the contract.
What Elias Charalambous did at FCSB:
1.48 points / matchis the average of Elias Charalambous, this season, in the Superliga
