As football has seen investments from many healthy business people, many football players have also started businesses. In the modern era, footballers score on and off the field. The enormous amount of money they get paid and the knowledge they acquire while working with brands helps them in starting businesses. Many players have been working off the field by owning shares in certain businesses/companies or starting new ventures. Let us get into some of the player’s businesses.
David Villa
Villa had a great career in Europe before going to the MLS. He won the World Cup with Spain in 2010. Villa has partnered with a company called KraneShares, and they have also purchased a football team that will make its debut in the USL 2022. He is also the co-founder of DV7 groups. As their global football operations head, Villa recently joined Odisha FC in the ISL; he will help the club improve their management planning and monitor recruitment with his company.
Lionel Messi
Messi is a brand in himself. The most outstanding player in the world has also made investments in Hotels. Messi bought the MiM hotel chain in 2017, managed by his brother Rodrigo. The other business of Messi is the Messi store; his sister Maria is the company’s brand manager. The store has a wide range of clothing. The Messi store is also available online, which has helped the company reach different countries.
David Beckham
After retiring in 2013, Beckham, alongside his wife Victoria Beckham, started DB Ventures limited. He was also in the spotlight as the company made 30 million euros in two years in 2018. He also has endorsements with companies such as Adidas, Samsung, H&M and Armani with the help of his image right company known as Footwork Productions. He also has stakes in the Inter Miami FC.
Cristiano Ronaldo
It is needless to say that CR7 is one of the most known brands in the world. CR7 hotels in Portugal. It initially partnered with a tourism company Pestana Group which then became Pestana CR7. Ronaldo also has a clothing and perfume brand and owns a Jeans company CR7 Denims. He has stakes in restaurants as well, in the Zela restaurant with Rafael Nadal, Enrique Iglesias, Pau Gasol. He also has partnered with Crunch Fitness to open CR7 Crunch Fitness Centres. Ronaldo also owns a Private Jet rental business. It is said that he has made one million euros from this business. His latest enterprise is that he owns 50% of shares of a hair clinic executed by his girlfriend, Georgina Rodriguez. Clinic’s name is Insparya.
How cool do you think these businesses are? Also, let us know if other footballers own such companies or enterprises.