Footballers That Have Become Successful Businessmen 

Top-flight football players receive lucrative wage packets throughout their careers. However, their careers tend to end around their mid-30s, and a huge revenue stream is suddenly cut off from even the biggest stars. Many opt to become coaching staff or establish themselves as Television pundits. But some have invested their earnings throughout their career, to ensure they are in a strong position financially when their playing days come to an end. 

Ryan Bertrand 

Ryan Bertrand’s Leicester City contract is set to end this year. He has fallen out of favour at the club, and his latest knee injury has meant he has been ruled out of aiding their relegation fight. In betting football, Leicester are offered at 1/4 to be relegated, and Bertrand will likely not be around next campaign regardless of the outcome.  

Happy birthday to Ryan Bertrand! 🥳 pic.twitter.com/8Nbz4LmiyK

— Leicester City (@LCFC) August 5, 2022

The former England international will be without a club and with a lengthy injury history in the summer. This could spell the end of his professional football career, but he has made successful investments outside of the game, and his future is certainly secure. Bertrand founded a Fintech brokerage firm called Silicon Markets back in 2015. It was a Forex currency trading app that aims to revolutionise retail trading. This was achieved via AI algorithms and machine learning. The company was eventually sold to a Malaysian firm, but Bertrand’s business exploits did not end there.  

Bertrand launched an app called FootiEmoji alongside Jose Fonte and John Terry in 2018, which featured football-themed emojis. This was short-lived, however, Bertrand’s willingness to frequently take risks suggests that his investments will not dry up after his retirement from football.  

Mathieu Flamini 

The former Arsenal man was well known for being a reliable hard-working midfielder on the pitch. He often made sacrifices in terms of his own gains for the greater good of the team. Since retirement, he has shown this in his business endeavours too. 

Flamini founded a bioscience firm known as GF Biochemicals. The company produced a bio-friendly substitute that can be used in many major industries to help create a greener world. Flamini’s net worth is estimated at around £10 billion now, which far outweighs the salary he accumulated as a football player.  

He also worked alongside another former Gunner in Mezut Ozil to launch Unity. This is a skincare brand with a focus on sustainable packaging. Aside from building his wealth, Flamini has maintained a strong interest in improving the natural environment of the world.  

Happy Birthday bro 🎉😘
From teammates, to close friends, to joining forces and standing up for people and the planet.
We’ve come a long way together🙏🏼
These past few months have been challenging but you have dealt with everything with class and decorum. Stay strong and positive.pic.twitter.com/VXkePtkQLv

— Mathieu flamini (@mathieuflamini) October 15, 2020

In football, in modern times we are seeing the most popular players earn sponsorship deals that will undoubtedly go beyond their playing days. Players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are commercial superstars due to their abilities on the pitch. However, other players have shown initiative in order to think outside of the box and forge a separate career outside of the sport.  

Bertrand and Flamini are stunning examples of players who were respectable footballers but were far from superstars. They have had to work hard to create successful careers following their playing days. Football was just the beginning for these former internationals. Their business careers are now well underway.  

Image: Ryoji Iwata on Unsplash