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Current Players Who Own Football Clubs

The life of a footballer is very much repetitive but they don’t need long hours throughout the day to make a living doing mundane tasks. As stressful as it is they are doing something they love and represent millions of fans week in week out.

Therefore, they often have spare time on their hands to fulfil and commitments for their club or for their own interests.

Whether it be through social activism like Marcus Rashford or other means of helping the community there is always something to tend to away from football. But what happens when a footballer realises that they’re body isn’t what it used to be and retirement looms?

In today’s game with the impressive advancement of sport science and the technology as well as the desire for footballers to stay in premium and optimum shape, the ‘’30s’’ is no longer a dreaded age for footballers because so many things can be done to keep up.

Although what it is important to note is that source of income starts to become a concern for footballers. Unless you are one of the best players in the world past the age of 30 or a key player or a goalkeeper you will have to start to look at life after football.

This is perhaps why in the media you often see players aged around 28 or 29 who need a contract extension haggle over financial details because the likelihood is that the contract is the last lengthy contract their going to receive.

Players do make a transition sometimes into the coaching, backroom staff or some punditry work but most will be more business minded and look to their future by securing investments in one of the main things they know about which is football.

There is a selection of active players who have made significant investments purchasing football clubs or hold a stake in a club following in the footsteps of some notable names like Ronaldo Nazario, David Beckham, Didier Drogba and the Class of 92’.

Jamie Vardy: Rochester New York FC

Jamie Vardy is an undisputed Premier League great. To achieve what he has achieved in the time span and manor he has done is an inspiration to many young footballers and provides hope that there isn’t a specific age to ‘make it’ at the top of the pyramid in English football.

Although the Leicester legend hasn’t exactly showed signs of slowing down on the pitch at the age of 34 he has looked to secure his future and commitment by buying a minority stake in a New York-based club Rochester Rhinos which was confirmed in June of 2021.

Vardy becomes a co-owner of a side that hasn’t played a competitive match in four years as they went in search of funding.

Which in a business sense is perfect for Vardy as its sport on the rise in America, the club has a perfect location where he may want to live in future and given their financial troubles Vardy can invest low as a minority shareholder and expect some growth.

RNYFC has a history to be proud of as they are the first team outside the MLS to win the US Open cup.  The club is looking to make a return to competitive football in 2022 with multiple US leagues including

Vardy told the Athletic ‘’ It’s about bringing that back and trying to replicate it’’, of course the franchise could bring him some financial reward but ultimately the underdog lower league story is something he is set to be involved in again once he hangs up his boots.

Eden Hazard: San Diego 1904 FC

One of the best players of his generation arguably and one of the most exciting players we have seen in the Premier League. Winning multiple trophies with Chelsea providing moments of brilliance along the way, he has a career to be proud of.

Since moving to Real Madrid, it hasn’t exactly worked out with injuries curtailing any significant contribution to Real Madrid since his arrival in 2019.

The Belgian international along with Demba Ba decided to become part-owner of NASL franchise San Diego 1904 FC in 2017 whilst Hazard was at his best at Chelsea. Still in their infancy in terms of establishing a secure foundation as they’ve moved their home venues twice.

Hazard’s club apply their trade in the third division in the United States Professional Leagues known as the National Independent Soccer Association.

With relegation being very much an alien concept to the football structure in the US, Hazard will be hoping to grow and develop his club to a point they can join the planned expansions of the league that are set to come in the next few years or so.

Hazard and co will look to capitalise on the impressive youth facilities and programmes in San Diego and build for the future for those young talented stars offering them the opportunity to represent their region professionally and hopefully challenge the best.

Gerard Pique: FC Andorra & Gimnastic Manresa

Pique is a Spanish national team and Barcelona legend by wining everything there is to win which includes domestic, European and International trophies picking up a clean sweep but Pique is also a smart businessman and has been for quite some time.

Gerard Pique is the president of Kosmos Holding an investment group specialising in sport and media. This investment group in particular, on his behalf purchased Spanish third tier side FC Andorra in 2018 with Pique becoming the recognised owner.

The only club in the Spanish football pyramid to actually be based outside Spain and actually in neighbouring Andorra. Pique took advantage of a sporting law that allowed him to make this purchase.

Not much has been said about the purchase but given the fact that he was raised in a Catalan based family and Andorra being part of the ‘’Catalan’’ region and speaking Catalan, you could hazard a guess and say part of the motivation for this purchase was sentimental.

This is a unique and potentially fruitful purchase being an owner of third division side with his career coming to an end in the next couple of years. Pique expanded his portfolio with the acquisition of much smaller club Gimnastic Manresa.

The club will essentially be an affiliate club for FC Andorra using them as a pipeline to bring in the best local talent whilst looking to establish them as a sports PLC.

Hector Bellerin: Forest Green Rovers

As the youngest on this list (26) with a lot of his professional career ahead of him. The La Masia graduate moved to Arsenal and has enjoyed some success winning 3 FA Cups and picking up 3 Community Shields also.

In the earlier years of his career Bellerin was known for his pace being one of the fastest players in the world around 2015. Injury seems to have taken some of the pace away but nonetheless a very good full-back who currently is applying his trade on loan at Real Betis.

2017 Bellerin let it be known that he was a vegan, putting down his successful recovery and improvements in his health down to the dietary change.

In 2019, speaking to the BBC, Bellerin voiced his concerns about the state of the planet and said how footballers have a responsibility to raise awareness concerning the environment.

This is a potential motive behind his move in becoming the second-largest shareholder of League Two club Forest Green Rovers in 2020. The share doesn’t reach a level that becomes any sort of conflict of interest.

The club based in Gloucestershire is recognised by the UN as the most environmental sports club in the world, going vegan in 2015 and being the first carbon-neutral side in 2017.

Bellerin himself was very complimentary of the conduct of FGR and will be working with the club to raise the environmental agenda across football where he can. A smart investment and an investment that aligns with his beliefs with his sport.

Cesar Azpilicueta: Hashtag United

Cesar Azpilicueta has been and still is a stalwart for Chelsea Football Club. A talented and versatile defender who’s been ever present despite the frequent changeover of managers under Roman Abramovich.

A career decorated with almost everything at club level and he looks to be at the peak of his powers but he looked to take some ownership in 2018 of a club and it isn’t just any club, perhaps the most followed non-league club known as Hashtag United.

A club that has a significant social following globally on due to its origins as a ‘’YouTube’’ team. Originally a side comprised of friends and popular personalities, since 2017 Hashtag became members of the football pyramid currently playing in the 8th tier of English Football.

584,000 subscribers on their official YouTube page, with a set-up unrivalled across their tier or even tiers higher. This unique club certainly makes non-league football appealing to those who may not find it as entertaining to watch.

Appealing to fans with modern up to date content with staff and players in an organic habitat whilst they look to achieve their goals on the pitch. The progress made since their step into the football pyramid has been nothing short of phenomenal.

Azpilicueta has part ownership of a club with a popular following through its men’s and women’s teams where viewers and subscribers ae emotionally invested the same way they would be with any professional side they may support.

A great investment in a club that hasn’t reached its full potential. One of a kind truly and whilst he looks to actively add more trophies to his cabinet with his current club, he will be hoping by the time his playing days are done Hashtag United have evolved even further.

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