Manchester City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson believes it is only right top players earn huge salaries - because they have such a short career.
At a sports summit in London, Sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe branded the reported £130,000-a-week pay packet of Chelsea captain John Terry as "obscene".
"This question has been asked for about 25 years since I came into professional football," said the Swede.
"I remember when I was in Benfica, in Italy, people were saying with the wages being high we must try and take them down.
"I think you have to see a footballer today like an artist, someone who can move you with their performance.
"Football is the biggest sport and I think it is only fair players earn good money as they are finished by the time they are 35."
As to a salary cap to prevent the richest clubs pricing out their less well-off rivals, he said: "It might happen in the future, I do not know.
"But as long as the owners are willing to buy the best players in the world to try and win big trophies it will be very difficult."
