There is a book by Mack Reynolds [I think] called Time Gladiator, set some time in the future. The basic premise of the story is that all war has ended, and disputes are settled by gladiators from each country, who fight to the death, and the country who's gladiator wins is deemed to have won the dispute. That would certainly make those nancy boy football players earn their inflated wages.
Reminds me of a certain Matt Busby
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