Join us as we explore the top 8 footballer-entrepreneurs who have leveraged their fame and fortune to make a mark in the competitive world of business, showcasing their ability to score both on and off the field.
8. Clarence Seedorf – Successful Star Restaurateur
Clarence Seedorf, known for his football prowess, has turned his attention to the culinary world with great success. In 2004, with a business partner, he launched Fingers, a chain of Japanese restaurants first in Italy with a few in Milan and Rome, and then expanding to Sardinia. Later, Seedorf established a restaurant in France and one in Dubai. The patrons have rated the Roman restaurant positively, indicating that his establishments cater to a higher-end market segment. Although financial specifics of football players’ ventures often remain undisclosed, the word on the street is that Seedorf’s dining ventures are flourishing. Despite a less successful coaching career, it seems his restaurant business has proved to be a profitable post-football pathway.
7. Footballers Turn Fashion Entrepreneurs – Demi de Zeeuw & Tim Brown
Dutch footballer Demi de Zeeuw and New Zealander Tim Brown have each created compelling lifestyle brands after their sports career. De Zeeuw founded BALR., a fashion label that exemplifies his passion for football and style, producing items like casual wear with football-themed details. Initially popular within the professional football circuit, the brand soon attracted celebrities and a broader audience, with social media playing a significant role in its promotion. Although it’s unclear how much the company is worth now, earlier reports suggested annual sales of $25 million.
Meanwhile, Tim Brown’s venture is even more remarkable. Post-football, Brown studied at the London School of Economics before co-founding Allbirds with biotech engineer Joey Zwillinger. The footwear brand focuses on natural materials and sustainability. Dubbed the “world’s most comfortable shoes,” Allbirds quickly gained popularity, especially for their merino wool runners that are machine washable and wearable without socks. With Brown’s innovation and commitment to eco-friendly processes, Allbirds has become a billion-dollar company, proving that sports celebrities can have massive second acts in the business world.
6. Robert Lewandowski – The Forward-Thinking Investor
Robert Lewandowski, the Polish footballing icon, has showcased his acumen in the investment domain, embodying the concept of portfolio diversification. Acting on his agent’s advice, Lewandowski became a partner in venture capital firm Protos Venture Capital, engaged in funding budding yet high-potential ventures. His portfolio also includes stakes in a construction company involved in upscale residential projects in Warsaw and a sports medicine clinic. In addition, Lewandowski manages a real estate firm named RL Management, as well as RL Media, which promotes professional sports figures. He has also embarked on a personal branding journey with the creation of approaches such as the RL9 energy drink line and an online store delivering farm-fresh produce to Poland’s major cities, further emphasizing his diversified investment strategy. Lewandowski’s ventures portray a model athlete-turned-investor, leveraging his on-field skills to navigate the complex waters of business successfully.
5. Footballers as Startup Pioneers – Christian Karembeu, Louis Saha & Martin Braithwaite
Footballers are not just adept at scoring goals but also at innovating in the world of business. Three such exemplary individuals are World Cup and European champion Christian Karembeu, his fellow Frenchman Louis Saha, and the Danish forward Martin Braithwaite. Karembeu has invested in a unique “Tinder for teams and sponsors,” called Sponsor.Online. The idea is to modernize the process of connecting football clubs and brands that want to promote through football. With hundreds of users, the service has facilitated deals for notable clubs like Celtic and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Bologna’s commercial director even confirmed a deal with a network hotel that wouldn’t have happened without Sponsor.Online. Karembeu’s platform is monetized by taking a percentage of the deals made and charges for a subscription with extended features.
Saha, after losing money in an investment scheme, decided to use his experience to help fellow footballers avoid similar situations. Post-retirement, he co-founded the private social network Axis Stars, which works with hundreds of professional investment consultants to protect players from financial fraud, taking a 15% commission from deals facilitated on the platform.
Braithwaite, though mocked when signed by Barcelona, is a business-savvy individual owning assets worth $250 million. He is the owner of NCE Rooms, one of the main fintech startups in the real estate sector. Braithwaite didn’t hesitate to invest his annual football salary to enter this company. NCE Rooms, according to American Forbes, offers a lifestyle like Instagram but at affordable prices, with stylish Scandinavian design and amenities comparable to the luxury skyscrapers of Manhattan. Braithwaite is not merely an investor but actively engages in defining company strategy and major deal-making.
4. Real Estate Gurus – Robbie Fowler & Julius Aghahowa
The fifth spot is shared by two players who made their mark in the real estate sector. Englishman Robbie Fowler became a property mogul while still playing for Liverpool. His financial adviser, introduced by then-manager Graeme Souness, helped him invest wisely in affordable homes instead of premium properties. The investment was so successful that Liverpool fans even came up with a chant about living in a ‘house bought by Robbie Fowler’. Fowler later expanded his portfolio to include luxury properties and set up a property academy charging thousands of dollars for a three-day course.
Julius Aghahowa, who earned less as a footballer compared to Fowler, ended his career at 31 but had already invested in properties in upscale London neighborhoods and Lagos, helping him to continue earning even after football. Besides real estate, Aghahowa has diversified his investments into Prolific Energy, which deals with oil and gas extraction and transportation.
3. Gerard Piqué – The Visionary Entrepreneur
Gerard Piqué, former FC Barcelona central defender, has become a visionary figure in the business realm. From childhood, Piqué had dreamed of creating his own football manager game. His first venture into the business world was the launch of Kerad Games, into which he invested €500,000. Starting with 20 employees, he brainstormed a project leading to the creation of the online game “Golden Manager,” which gathered tens of millions of users, including Piqué himself. This was just the beginning as Piqué’s interests also expanded to e-sports, for which he established a team in February 2017. Additionally, he invested in the sunglasses brand Kypers and collaborated with Shakira for its promotion, leveraging endorsements from fellow athletes like Iker Casillas and Dani Alves.
Piqué’s ventures did not stop there; he is also invested in sports clubs and tournaments. He purchased FC Andorra, with aspirations to reach the UEFA Champions League, and became the principal investor of the Davis Cup in tennis. Piqué also launched the Football Media League in Spain, attracting several big football stars. Critics and fans took notice when he unexpectedly ended his playing career in late 2022 to focus on these ventures. Going forward, Piqué is planning the Kings League America, tapping Colombian star James Rodriguez as the tournament ambassador. Succeeding David Beckham’s sports business empire is no small feat, yet Piqué’s ventures are evidence of his far-reaching business acumen and the potential for significant growth in the future.
2. David Beckham – Building a Global Brand
David Beckham, widely recognized as an English football icon, has built a veritable business empire both during and post his football career. Even early on, his £160 million lifetime contract with Adidas, signed in 2003, was just a piece of his financial puzzle. Beckham has nurtured a portfolio that encompasses various industries such as CyberSports, fashion, and tourism. His company, dbv (David Beckham Venture Limited), has a diverse investment portfolio, and within it, a firm dedicated to selling Beckham-branded products, which reportedly sold goods worth £17 million in 2020.
Beckham’s ventures into the eyewear market with his David Beckham Eyewear brand and media business through his Label Studio 99 production firm further showcases his investment in his image and branded content, which he started cultivating during his early days at Manchester United. This carefully crafted image has translated into substantial financial gains. His football talents and celebrity status have drawn in millions of fans and hundreds of advertisers, bolstering his business endeavors.
However, his most prominent post-career success has been with the MLS club Inter Miami. Due to a unique clause, Beckham was able to purchase the franchise for a mere $25 million rather than the standard $150 million. The value of the club has already been appraised at $600 million, with further growth anticipated. Beckham’s ambition is to develop a global football brand, showing that his business undertakings are not just lucrative but carefully aligned with his personal brand and reputation.
1. Mathieu Flamini – The Eco-Minded Billionaire
Mathieu Flamini, an accomplished defensive midfielder, became a multimillionaire, not so much through his football career as through his smart investments. It’s Flamini’s off-field ventures that have made him truly stand out. He met chemist Pasquale Granata during his stint in Italy and invested in the development of levulinic acid, identified by the U.S. Department of Energy as one of the 12 molecules that can help make the world greener
Flamini became the leading investor in GF Biochemicals, a firm specialized in the production of levulinic acid. Despite the company’s valuation being upwards of €25 billion, a modest Flamini has urged the press to focus more on the potential market size they are targeting rather than the firm’s valuation. GF Biochemicals stands almost as a monopoly in an untapped market, and Flamini owns a substantial 60% of the firm. Today, Flamini’s personal fortune is estimated to be well over €10 billion.
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