Footballers are often accused of not planning for their retirement while still very active earning millions of dollars from their respective clubs, countries and from companies who have them on their payroll for endorsements deals. As such sad stories abound for those that have gone from riches to rags due to their reckless spending while still making the dollars and failed to invest wisely.
However, despite their flamboyant lifestyles and an enviable collection of diverse cars and mansions, some players have become cannier, with lots of them now investing wisely in various business ventures to see them through their retirement years and put to rest that wasteful act of spending recklessly even after retirement so that they don’t go bankrupt.
In this torrid time, where it’s very hard to even get premium football matches for our viewing pleasure, it’s won’t be out of place if we take a look at footballers and their business as they seek to set themselves up for a better life after retirement.
Matthieu Flamini (Co.Owner GF Biochemicals) & Mikel Obi (MMM Record Label, Mikel Obi Transport)
The former Chelsea midfield anchor is a football superstar who had a successful career with Chelsea, even on the verge of winning his first title with his former club Trabzonspor, if not for the deadly virus currently fighting the whole world perhaps he may win the league with them.
Where Mikel hailed from is synonymous with producing brilliant music superstars, so as such, the former Super Eagles use that as an opportunity to invest in the music industry and to also make him stay afloat financially after retirement as a professional footballer.
The Music label is called MMM Records, which stands for Mature Money Minds which definitely is an avenue for up and coming artists to carve out a brilliant music career for themselves in the music Industry via the record label.
According to report, the record label has grown in recognition since it was established and is slowly becoming a household name and one of the biggest music record labels in Nigeria, meanwhile, this immense investment is reportedly worth around $50 million which will help finance his life beyond the football days. Also, the former Middlesbrough midfielder also has an investment in the transportation sector which is Mikel Obi Transport been managed by his father.
Mathieu Flamini isn’t just known for football, the former Arsenal midfielder who is a co-founder of GF Biochemical Company, a company capable of producing mass levulinic acid, has to look beyond the flamboyant lifestyles and fancy cars to invest wisely his hard earn dollars as a professional footballer into bioscience to have as much as possible to avoid spending recklessly which may lead to bankruptcy.
As it stands, GF Biochemical is the first company that produces mass levulinic acid, a market that Forbes estimated to worth $33 billions, and in 2018 the former AC Milan midfielder was recognized to be one of the 100 most promising business leaders on the planet in the World Economic Forum’s Community of Young Global Leaders.
Although the French man is still an active footballer playing with Getafe in the Spanish topflight league, however, that doesn’t stop him from investing on bioscience, Flamini took that bold step in 2008 when he partnered with Pasquale Granata to established a bioscience firm, and since the establishment in 2014 the firm was named as one of the twelve biochemical firms likely to produce value in the future by the US Department of Energy.
The firm is also rated to have enormous potential, with the value of the firm estimated to worth €20 billion, also the firm it’s a sustainable oil substitute that can be used in plastics, solvents, fuels, and the pharmaceutical industry, meanwhile, Flamini also launched a firm called Unity, in 2018 a natural origin face, hair body and wellness brand alongside former teammates Ozil.
Samuel Etoo’s (Set Mobile, BETOO) & Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Zlatan Unplugged, A-Z Fashion Brand)
The former Cameroon captain has since his playing days showed a huge interest in business, Eto’o is notably known for his exploits on the continent and Europe as an African footballer winning the Champions League with Barcelona and Inter Milan.
The iconic Cameroonian is also known for his philanthropic acts which gave birth to the creation of his foundation in 2016, the foundation which is known as Samuel Etoo’s Foundation aims to protect children and young people, and to provide emergency aid and a whole lot of other services.
More importantly, in 2012 Eto’o established a telecommunications firm in Douala, Cameron which he named Set Mobile, which enables Cameroonians to communicate affordably, unfortunately for the former Barcelona forward the telecommunications firm ran into a lot of crisis, including strike action that occurred in 2013, and after just two years in business the firm closed its doors in 2014 as Etoo’s and the firm dreams came to an end.
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Meanwhile, in 2019, Eto’o resuscitated his dreams in the business sector, when he established a betting platform called ‘BETOO’ which he announced the launch via his Facebook handle.
Ibrahimovic, on the other hand, is one self-confidence footballer that loves marketing, however, his love for marketing didn’t reflect on his business, as his investments with A-Z Fashion Brand and Zlatan Unplugged went down the drain.
The AC Milan forward published a biography called ‘I am Zlatan‘ and also launched an application called ‘Zlatan Unplugged‘, he also created a mobile game called ‘Zlatan Legends.
In 2016, he also tried investing in a sports fashion brand called A-Z, but unfortunately, the brand went bankrupt and was liquidated after just two years after its launch, Ibrahimovic failure to be successful in all of the brands or firm he invested in doesn’t mean he’s a failure.
Didier Drogba (Co-Owner Phoenix Rising, JAD Footwear) & Sulley Muntari (4FK Motors)
Drogba is been referred to as businessman due to his keen interest in business even before he retired, the former Chelsea forward has numerous investments across Africa and Europe but we will only mention few among other investments.
The Ivorian former captain also has a foundation named Didier Drogba Foundation which is a means to provide financial assistance to all Africans in need of education and health assistance, Drogba is also a co-owner of Phoenix Rising Club in the US and a footwear brand named JAD Luxury which he owned in partnership with his brother Jordan.
Drogba was so good with his investments that he was referred to as the most successful African Post Football Businessman, he’s also a brand ambassador for companies like Standard Chartered Bank, and Japanese Yokohama, he also promotes digital banking in his home country.
The Ghanaian midfielder didn’t only have a soft spot for expensive cars, but he has converted that love of cars into a business firm, which brings in more money for the former Milan midfielder and most of his former teammates are his clients.
Muntari’s 4FK Motors garage is popularly referred to as a celebrity car shop which deals in cars like Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Bentley, the firm also pimp cars and customize already purchased vehicles to look like what the client desire.
According to report, 4FK Motors is considered to be one of the finest in Italy where it operates, as the firm is known for pimping for top celebrities and footballers across the world.
Nwankwo Kanu (Real Estate) & David Beckham (Beckham Brand Holdings)
Kanu is one of the most decorated Nigerian footballer, Kanu Heart Foundation which is mainly put in place to assist children with heart conditions, Kanu isn’t just known for his charity alone, he also has a firm that deals in real estate to support him financially.
According to report, the firm was reported to experienced challenges in recent time, however, the investment still found a way to pass the test which definitely has been a wise investment choice for Kanu.
The real estate business definitely won’t be the only investment for the former super eagle’s star, however, the business for Kanu as always been on the front burner.
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Meanwhile, on Beckham part, the former Three Lions star is associated with fashion, style, tattoos, and football shoes among others, Beckham Brands Holdings is control by Victoria the wife and Beckham himself.
The former Real Madrid winger also has a stake in Inter Miami FC in the US which is also part of the Beckham Brand Holdings.
Gerard Pique (FC Andorra, Kosmos Global Holding) & Frederic Kanoute (Coaching Future Stars)
The Barcelona defender is one of the finest footballers in the world, and he had won almost every title a football star would ever want to lay hands-on, the world cup winner has successfully participated in poker tournaments and also invest with his company Kosmos Global Holding in various industries which includes media and tennis.
The lanky defender also owns the Spanish third division club FC Andorra a dream and vision of helping them financially to get a promotion into the topflight.
Kanoute took to the path that has given him a lot of fame and fortune, by going on a path to contribute back to the sport that has given him so much, former Mali forward has an academy program that runs in Dubai which he uses in training next future stars.
According to report, the registration fee to get into the academy is said to be around $1000 per child for 11 weeks in Dubai, and this will definitely be an avenue to recoup the money Kanoute has invested in the academy to sustain him financially.
Marcel Jansen (MJ Beteiligung), Lucas Radebe (Event Planner) & Andrea Pirlo (Pratum Coller)
Former Hamburger defender is well known for his love for entrepreneurship, Jansen is involved in five different businesses which include a restaurant called Kinneloa in the street of California, a medical supply store, a beach sports facility, and a sports fashion label.
Despite being involved in close to five businesses under his company name called MJ Beteiligung, the defender is also a pundit with Sky Sport which also helps him to stay stable financially.
For the oldies who watched Lucas Radebe played at the AFCON will know that he is one of the finest football stars ever to play the round leather game, Radebe is known as Mr. Moderator and Event Planner.
After a long footballing career with South Africa, after retirement, Radebe took to a moderating and planning event, which gave birth to Radebe’s book which talks about how footballers could become a brand ambassador.
Last on our plate is Andrea Pirlo, after retirement, the Italian took to the production of wines which he took over from his parents and now sells its product across Europe.
The report has it that the Pirlo vineyard produces around 15,000 to 20,000 bottles a year which makes him one of the top wine producers among other football stars in Europe involved in the same business.
