Luka Modrić has recently joined the ranks of top-tier soccer players who have invested in clubs, turning this trend into a more frequent occurrence.
The realm of football club ownership is notoriously unstable, yet several prominent figures from the sport have managed to thrive financially by investing in and managing these teams.
Below are 10 famous athletes who have ownership interests in teams.
Luka Modric
Modric has reached an agreement to join Swansea City’s ownership group in April 2025.
The 39-year-old's involvement with the Championship team won't affect his time on the pitch, as the player wishes to keep playing for Real Madrid past this season.
Modrić boasts considerable familiarity with British football, having played 160 matches for Tottenham Hotspur prior to joining Real Madrid in 2013.
His upcoming arrival in South Wales will usher in a new chapter for the club as he becomes part of Swansea’s new ownership group.
In November, Jason Levien and Steve Kaplan concluded their eight-year tenure as leaders when they offloaded their controlling stake to Andy Coleman, along with co-owners Brett Cravatt and Nigel Morris, and entrepreneur Jason Cohen.
David Beckham
Even before Beckham retired from football following his last season with Paris Saint-Germain, rumors circulated in the press about his potential investment in an MLS team and his plans for life after soccer as a businessman. The brand he built was far too substantial for him to consider roles like sports commentary or coaching.
Following the establishment of Salford City alongside his peers from the Class Of ‘92 and Singaporean businessman Peter Lim, he went on to start an MLS team. Although Inter Miami faced some delays before getting off the ground, they have now taken flight—boasting one of the most impressive collections of star players in contemporary MLS history.
It traces back to when he played for LA Galaxy.
It is said that he accepted a significant reduction in his salary from what he earned at Real Madrid. However, he has taken full advantage of a specific provision in his contract, which enabled him to purchase an expansion team for only $25 million.
By 2025, Inter Miami's worth is projected to exceed $600 million.
Now, he can see himself as the person who brought Lionel Messi to America, marking the nation's highest-profile acquisition since his own arrival... or tracing back even farther, to when Pele joined the New York Cosmos.
"It's simply the impact that Leo has on both the game and the world," Beckham said to Jimmy Kimmel.
One of our motivations for bringing him to America was his ability to inspire future generations. This has always been part of my vision. Of course, I also aimed to invite him based on both his skills as an athlete and his character. Having faced him multiple times myself—twice, fortunately—I have long admired him as a player and followed his career closely over the years.
And I always intended to bring what I consider the best player ever to grace the sport onto our team. Fortunately, it came together.
Didier Drogba
You likely recall the final chapters of Drogba's illustrious career. His time playing in Turkey and China was bookended by his triumphant comeback at Stamford Bridge, culminating in an impressive stint with the Montreal Impact in the MLS.
However, if we were to quiz If you followed every team Senegal's player was part of throughout his career, you might not remember the last club he represented – Phoenix Rising. Following some time without a contract after becoming a free agent, he joined the USL side based in Arizona and acquired a minor ownership stake in the team.
We've encountered the concept of a player-manager, though it has become less common over time. However, the idea of a player-owner is much rarer, and to our knowledge, Drogba was the pioneer in this role.
Drogba netted 17 times in 26 matches for the team prior to his retirement in 2019. He retains an ownership interest in the club even now; however, they have not managed to secure entry into MLS thus far.
N’Golo Kante
Following his departure from Chelsea during the previous summer, Kante shocked the football community by buying into and taking over as chairman of Royal Excelsior Virton, a Belgian third-division club.
"Clearly, Flavio is immensely delighted to transfer the club’s key responsibilities to N'Golo Kante," stated the club in an official announcement.
He is a player of exceptional caliber, renowned not just for his skill on the field but more importantly for his widely acknowledged personal virtues.
We have no objections. However, his choice to accept the Saudi money was somewhat disheartening.
Royal Excelsior Virton concluded their season at the 10th position in the Belgian National Division 1 during the 2023-24 campaign.
READ: 12 reasons why you can’t help but adore N'Golo Kanté
Paolo Maldini
Beckham isn’t the sole European Cup champion investing in Florida’s sunny real estate. Maldini got there first, establishing USL team Miami FC as early as 2015.
"When I established Miami FC, Paolo assisted in boosting the club's visibility, and he was instrumental in bringing Alessandro Nesta on board as the team's inaugural head coach," said Miami FC owner Riccardo Silva. Transfermarkt .
In recent times, the renowned Italian defender has stepped away from his current role and refocused his efforts on AC Milan as their technical director.
"There were never any intentions to establish official connections between the two teams [Miami and Milan], despite both being passions of mine. However, I wouldn’t dismiss the possibility for the future," Silva added.
It seems less probable now since Maldini has stepped down from his position as Milan's technical director due to conflicts with the club's management board.
Ronaldo
O Fenomeno has an 82% controlling stake in the Spanish team Real Valladolid, which has been moving back and forth between La Liga and the Segunda División over the past few years.
The footballer, who has won the World Cup twice, had an ownership interest in struggling Brazilian club Cruzeiro. However, he decided to part ways with them in April due to their ongoing administrative issues.
My response will be brief: Valladolid comes next," Ronaldo stated at the time. "After selling both Cruzeiro and Valladolid, I plan to take some time off.
Nevertheless, he has recently reversed course and declared his intent to remain the owner of Valladolid, apparently because there were no attractive offers forthcoming. It was reportedly mentioned that he rejected an offer of €28 million from the construction company Inexo.
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Gerard Pique
Despite still being an active player for Barcelona, Pique was often touted as a potential future club president due to his entrepreneurial mindset and numerous ventures within the sports industry.
He is presently being investigated for his purported role in unlawful payments related to the move of Spain’s Super Cup to Saudi Arabia.
He was also engaged in tennis; however, in January 2023, the International Tennis Federation opted to terminate its agreement with the former footballer’s firm responsible for organizing the Davis Cup after just under half a decade.
In addition to not mentioning his E-Sports team or his seven-a-side Kings League project, which gathers content creators from YouTube along with former professionals.
Phew.
In terms of football – the real thing, not virtual or followed through social media stars – he also owns FC Andorra, a team in a lower division. He acquired the club back in 2018.
In the previous season, they concluded at the 21st position in the Segunda División, which led to their demotion to the Spanish third division.
Should we doubt the four-time Champions League champion... yet it appears his business endeavors might not be faring as well?
Thierry Henry
"One of the objectives is to invest in the Como community and foster collaboration with locals through programs aimed at generating job opportunities," Henry stated during a press briefing with journalists last August 2022.
Como boasts an impressive past; renowned for the elegance of both its cityscape and its lake. However, the hope is that it won’t be long before it also gains recognition through its football.
Two years ahead, and Como have risen to become a part of Serie A. With Cesc Fabregas, who once played alongside Thierry Henry at Arsenal, both managing from the bench and holding a stake in the club, it's clear they're meeting their objectives.
The present coach of France Under-21 possesses merely a minor shareholding in the club, yet when it comes to justifications for enjoying the stunning views around Lake Como, this ranks quite highly as an excuse.
Observing a diverse team that includes Pepe Reina, Alberto Moreno, Andrea Belotti, and Patrick Cutrone? Even more enjoyable.
READ: Athletes who've earned substantial fortunes from ventures outside football: horses, casinos, biochemicals...
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Speculative articles from excitable tabloids suggested that Ibrahimovic could potentially return to Sweden to conclude his playing career with Hammarby, following his appointment as co-owner of the club in 2019.
After departing from LA Galaxy, he became a free agent. However, he ultimately made an emotional comeback that same year... though not with his former team. Instead, he joined forces once again with AC Milan at the San Siro, netting an additional 37 goals and securing yet another Scudetto title during his career which extended well into his forties.
Technically, joining Hammarby wouldn't have amounted to coming back home—something upset supporters of his local team Malmö would quickly point out.
In response to the Hammarby news, they tried to set fire to his statue near their stadium. Ouch.
Hammerby came in second place in the Swedish Allsvenskan league standings last year... however, they were nine points behind the winners, Malmö. Wonder what Ibrahimovic thinks about that.
Kylian Mbappe
In the summer of 2024, Mbappe acquired 80% of the shares in Caen for less than €20 million.
One of several teams in French soccer, this Ligue 2 club is presently facing financial difficulties.
We've seen players like N'Golo Kanté, Thomas Lemar, and Raphael Guerreiro develop at Caen recently, and it will be intriguing to observe how Kylian Mbappé propels the team forward.
"Frankly, individuals had been informing me about this for an entire month, yet I remained skeptical," ex-coach Patrice Garande stated. La Parisien .
This is remarkable news. Primarily because of the financial security it brings. Additionally, it enhances the club’s reputation significantly. Aligning oneself with the world's top player undoubtedly serves as a major boost.
'We understand Mbappé's ambitions and his drive for success. If he joins our team, it won’t be a casual decision; it will undoubtedly be with the aim of winning and consequently forming a squad capable of elevating this club back to the top tier.'
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