4 Footballers You Didn’t Know Owned Football Clubs

Retirement as a professional footballer occurs at a relatively young age due to the high physical demands required in playing professionally. This means footballers must find a way to maintain their income and continue to support their families, leading them to invest their money into various different business ventures. David Beckham is an example of a player who invested and represented many brands post-retirement, including founding the football club Inter Miami, featuring in online live casino games, and even co-owning a competitive Esports team, Guild. But there are many footballers, currently playing and retired, who you didn’t know owned football clubs.

Kylian Mbappe

Kylian Mbappe has cemented his name as one of the greatest strikers in the world, stunning the world during his time in France at Monaco and PSG, and now making a legacy at Spanish giants Real Madrid. Mbappe is one of the biggest names in world football and is even the face of Nike’s football campaigns, but what is less known about Mbappe is his intelligent investments and support for lower league football. While Mbappe made his move to Spain, he continued his legacy back in France by investing in a lower league French side, Stade Malherbe Caen. The French side once had Mbappe on their books as a youth, and due to financial struggles, the club has found itself battling in the lower leagues of French football. In 2024, Mbappe bought an 80% stake in the club for around £13 million and is attempting to support the club’s growth and development to push them into the top flight of the French Football pyramid. It is only early days into his investment, so it is exciting to see where Kylian Mbappe will be able to take the club.

Thierry Henry

From one French forward to another, Thierry Henry bought a stake in lower league side Como in Italy back in 2022, with the hopes of taking them to the top flight. Henry is regarded as one of the greatest strikers to play in the Premier League and one of the greatest strikers to have represented the French national team, playing for massive clubs like Arsenal, Barcelona and Juventus. Como, however, has not been a top-flight team at the point of Henry’s stake in 2022, battling as a mid-table club in Serie B. In the 2023/24 season, Como were awarded promotion after 2 years in the Serie B, and in the 2023/24 campaign, they have comfortably avoided relegation, suggesting they may have a bright future in Italy’s top flight. Como has drawn in some big names to the club, such as former Liverpool players Alberto Moreno and Pepe Reina, former English wonderkid Dele Alli and Barcelona veteran Sergi Roberto. With Henry holding a minority stake and former teammate Cesc Fabregas in the dugout, Como might just be a future Italian Giant in the Serie A.

Paolo Maldini

Most football fans are aware of David Beckham’s mission in Miami, setting up Inter Miami CF in the MLS, but what is less known is that Paolo Maldini was there and did it first. In 2016, the legendary Italian defender teamed up with businessman Riccardo Silva to launch the club Miami FC. Maldini was a powerhouse as a player, making over 600 appearances for AC Milan, starting and ending his career at the club. The adventure into football ownership for Maldini seemed promising with the second division Miami FC, even managing to get his hands on some silverware for the first time as a club owner. The journey of Miami FC continues, despite his turning his focus to his role at AC Milan.

Luka Modrić

Former Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modrić has cemented his name in the sport’s history, breaking the trend of Messi and Ronaldo winning the Golden Ball, while becoming a Real Madrid legend and one of the greatest midfielders in the modern era. Captaining both Real Madrid and the Croatian national team, Modrić is regarded as the greatest player to come from his home nation and still performs on the international stage at age 39. But as this star is seemingly coming to the end of his playing career, in 2025, Modrić purchased a stake in Welsh football club Swansea City. Once a consistent Premier League side, Swansea City have faced a rough patch in recent years, not playing in the top flight since 2018. With the arrival of Luka Modrić and the rest of the new ownership group, Swansea City may someday return to the Premier League with the correct investment and management. 

To Conclude…

There are plenty of current and former footballers who own football clubs or have stakes in the clubs, as it is a great way for players to maintain their presence in the sport after their playing days are finished. It is a great way for footballers to also maintain the high-end lifestyle post-retirement, so it is likely to be something we will continue to see players choose to do in the future.