It was announced this week that African superstar Sadio Mane has bought a football side in France, but he isn't the only famous player to have become a club boss! Here are three more household names who swapped the dressing room for the boardroom.
Check Out: Onana Responds After Man Utd Teammate Uses 'Gorilla Emojis' In Post
Earlier this week, it was confirmed that Senegalese icon Mane had purchased French fourth division team Bourges Foot 18, a club believed to be located 250km outside of Paris. The side was founded in 2021 when two clubs in the region merged into one, with the former Liverpool and Bayern Munich winger largely considered the face of Bourges Foot 18's new ownership group. Mane, who is currently in fine form for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, follows a long list of players who have ventured into the business side of the beautiful game.
David Beckham (Inter Miami)
The former England captain and Manchester United star is a co-owner of MLS franchise Inter Miami, which only began operating in 2020 following a long delay over the approval of its stadium. The Herons, as they are nicknamed, won their first trophy this year when they claimed the Leagues Cup trophy just weeks following Lionel Messi's record-breaking and profile-raising arrival. According to reports, Beckham and his group paid $25 million (R4.7 billion) to be able to become club founders in the United States.
Didier Drogba (Phoenix Rising FC)
Also representing a club from the US is ex-Chelsea and Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba, who joined Phoenix Rising FC as a player and a co-owner in 2018 before moving permanently on to the board after he retired from football later that same year. The club features in the USL Championship, which is the second tier of soccer in the country. Drogba, considered one of the greatest African players of all time, said at the time that to "own a team and be a player at the same time is unusual, but it's going to be very exciting", and added that he was looking forward to preparing for life after hanging up his boots.
Ronaldo Nazario (Real Valladolid)
After Real Valladolid won promotion back to LALIGA six years ago, it was announced by the club that legendary Brazilian striker Ronaldo Nazario had become its new owner. Reports suggest that the 2002 FIFA World Cup winner signed a deal agreeing to invest a whopping €30 million (R2.5 billion) to become Valladolid's majority stakeholder and the first-ever ex-player to buy a club in one of Europe's top five leagues. The Spanish minnows have since been relegated back down to the country's second division, making them the most relegated team in the 21st century.
You must be SIGNED IN to read and post comments
WATCH VIDEO:
